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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: bulb · date · board · perch · stand · rush · roll · trunk

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rush — hurry
  4. perch — the fish
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. roll — a cake
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. board — a committee
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bulb — for light
  16. roll — a list
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bulb — for light
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. board — to get on

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