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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 116 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: trunk · plane · rock · squash · nail · chip · mine · bulb

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bulb — for light
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mine — for digging
  12. squash — the sport
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rock — music
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — a stone
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. nail — for a hammer

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