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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.

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: arm · object · trunk · bulb · root · net · cabinet · jam

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. net — after costs
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. net — for catching
  9. root — of a word
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — an aim
  12. root — the cause
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. net — in sport
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. trunk — of a car

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