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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · rash · chip · trunk · suit · fall · straw · jam

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rash — a series
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bulb — for light
  24. straw — a straw man

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