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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: cell · bay · ruler · wound · bulb · mug · trunk · chip

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. chip — to eat
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. cell — a phone
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cell — in biology
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bulb — for light
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wound — an injury

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