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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 120 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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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: cue · bulb · stick · temple · pass · content · trunk · bark

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. content — happy
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bulb — for light
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bark — to shout
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. temple — side of the head

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