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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: bulb · trunk · march · bear · cap · prune · tube · calf

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bulb — for light
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. prune — to trim
  6. tube — a container
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cap — of ice
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. march — the month
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. march — the month
  20. bear — the animal
  21. march — music
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bear — to put up with

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