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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: face · bulb · key · foot · game · date · trunk · firm

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. game — wild animals
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. firm — a company
  5. face — to point toward
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. key — in music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. foot — a measure
  11. firm — steady
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. face — part of the head
  14. game — a match
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bulb — for light
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. face — to confront
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. key — for a lock
  24. firm — decided

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