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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — of water
  6. present — there
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spring — a coil
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spring — the season
  24. present — the time now

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