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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 · wave · board · trunk · content · stand · wound · craft

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. board — a committee
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wound — an injury
  10. content — the amount
  11. board — to get on
  12. content — happy
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bulb — for light
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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