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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. chip — to eat
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bulb — for light
  6. race — the arms race
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bank — of a river
  10. race — humankind
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rock — music
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. race — a contest
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com