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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: toast · deal · bulb · bank · trunk · bat · sharp · cue

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cue — a hint
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bank — of a river
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bank — for money
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bank — for money
  16. bulb — for light
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cue — for pool
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. toast — bread

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