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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: trunk · hand · bass · face · nail · dip · saw · bulb

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hand — help
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hand — in cards
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bass — the fish
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bass — low music

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