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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 · trunk · toast · bay · bat · suit · bark · temple

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bark — to shout
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bulb — for light
  16. toast — bread
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — to fit
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bulb — for light
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bulb — of a plant

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