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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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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: plane · trunk · snap · dip · bulb · pass · deal · cell

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cell — a phone
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. snap — to click
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cell — in biology
  24. plane — in geometry

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