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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · lie · trunk · clip · bat · foot · safe · capital

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. clip — a video
  7. bulb — for light
  8. clip — to cut
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — the animal
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lie — to recline
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. capital — money
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. capital — a city
  20. clip — for paper
  21. bulb — for light
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. foot — a measure

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