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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.

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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: rock · trunk · bay · file · snap · bulb · dip · content

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. 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. dip — to sink
  2. file — a document
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. content — the amount
  7. rock — music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. file — a tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. content — happy
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to click
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. 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