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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: saw · trunk · plane · bulb · drill · roll · foot · toast

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. saw — the tool
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. drill — a practice
  8. toast — bread
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. roll — a cake
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. saw — the tool
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. drill — the tool
  19. foot — a measure
  20. drill — army training
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — a tool
  24. roll — a list

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