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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 116 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
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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: wake · cap · bowl · lie · trunk · object · bulb · present

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. present — there
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — the time now
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. object — an aim
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cap — a hat
  16. object — a thing
  17. cap — a lid
  18. present — a gift
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. object — to protest
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wake — a trail

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