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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 120 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bank — of a river
  15. tube — a container
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bass — the fish
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bank — for money
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. nail — for a hammer

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