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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: trunk · tear · spring · bulb · plane · can · wave · safe

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. can — a tin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. plane — a tool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — the season
  17. can — to be able to
  18. tear — to rip
  19. spring — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bulb — for light
  23. tear — from crying
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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