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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 120 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: arm · trunk · tube · suit · mouse · bulb · rule · land

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. land — a country
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. land — ground
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rule — a law
  20. tube — a container
  21. land — to come down
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rule — government

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