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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: lean · perch · trunk · bound · can · bulb · content · face

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lean — thin
  4. content — happy
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. can — to be able to
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bound — tied together
  10. face — to point toward
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. can — a tin
  13. content — the amount
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bound — certain
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. can — a tin
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. perch — for a bird

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