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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · trunk · degree · dip · hide · straw · plane · rock

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rock — a stone
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rock — music
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bulb — for light
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. degree — an amount
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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