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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: file · leaves · mark · bay · pass · trunk · cue · bulb

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cue — for pool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bulb — for light
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. file — a document
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cue — a signal
  24. file — a tool

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