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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 120 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: drill · kick · ball · perch · trunk · craft · bulb · stem

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ball — a great time
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. drill — army training
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. kick — in football
  8. craft — boats
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stem — to come from
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. drill — the tool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. drill — a practice
  17. craft — a skill
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. kick — a thrill

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