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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 · dip · leaves · date · game · coach · safe · bulb

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. game — a match
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bulb — for light
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bulb — for light
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. date — the fruit

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