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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
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: cabinet · hide · roll · trunk · arm · mark · degree · bulb

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. degree — an amount
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. roll — a cake
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. degree — from a university
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. degree — temperature
  24. roll — a list

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