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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 · stick · bulb · game · lie · racket · wake · season

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lie — to recline
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. game — a match
  16. bulb — for light
  17. season — in sport
  18. wake — a trail
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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