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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: bulb · bear · trunk · cap · plane · perch · jam · bound

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bear — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cap — a lid
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bound — certain
  8. cap — a hat
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. perch — the fish
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cap — of ice
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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