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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.

Make a worksheet

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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. plane — a tool
  13. scale — in music
  14. perch — the fish
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bulb — for light
  18. dip — to sink
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. scale — size or range
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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