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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: trunk · bulb · jam · bass · track · fan · current · lie

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — to recline
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. current — of water
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bass — low music
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. current — happening now
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. track — a path
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. current — electric
  20. track — a song
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fan — a supporter

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