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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 · snap · firm · track · trunk · game · perch · pound

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. track — a path
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. firm — a company
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bulb — for light
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. firm — steady
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — for light
  13. firm — decided
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. perch — the fish
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. track — a song
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. snap — to click
  24. track — to keep track

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