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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 124 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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. object — an aim
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — steady
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. firm — decided
  7. content — happy
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spell — a short time
  11. pop — music
  12. firm — a company
  13. pop — soda
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bulb — for light
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. content — the amount
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. spell — letters
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. spell — magic
  24. pop — to visit

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