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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: trunk · wake · toast · track · rush · rash · firm · bulb

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rash — a series
  11. wake — a trail
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. track — to keep track
  15. firm — decided
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bulb — for light
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. track — a song
  21. toast — bread
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. track — a path
  24. firm — steady

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