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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · trunk · stick · bulb · spell · staff

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — employees
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. scale — in music
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. scale — size or range
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. staff — a stick
  14. spell — letters
  15. staff — employees
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. trunk — of a car

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