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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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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: mark · bulb · trunk · face · shower · board · leaves · lean

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. board — a committee
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. face — to confront
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. shower — rain
  11. lean — to bend
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — a trace
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. face — to point toward
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. face — part of the head
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lean — thin
  24. mark — to pay attention

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