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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: date · deal · bulb · trunk · season · nail · bat · stick

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bat — the animal
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. season — of the year
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. date — the fruit
  24. season — in sport

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