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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · foot · lash · file · bulb · trunk · wake · roll

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. roll — a list
  9. file — a tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. file — a line of people
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. foot — a measure
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. roll — a cake
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. file — a document
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — a trail
  24. calf — of the leg

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