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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.

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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: bay · bulb · band · land · bank · bound · stand · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stand — to bear
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a ring
  8. bank — for money
  9. land — a country
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. land — to come down
  21. band — a music group
  22. land — ground
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stand — for spectators

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