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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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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 · board · wake · dip · bay · arm · stem · trunk

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. board — to get on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. stem — to come from
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — a committee
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bulb — for light
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. dip — to sink

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