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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bass — low music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. charge — a price
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — in control
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lean — thin
  14. bass — the fish
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. plane — a tool
  20. kick — in football
  21. charge — electricity
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. plane — an aircraft

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