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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: deal · last · jam · lie · toast · bulb · bass · trunk

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. last — to go on
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. last — final
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bass — the fish
  13. toast — bread
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bass — low music
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. last — finally
  24. trunk — of a car

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