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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: pop · bulb · trunk · ball · jam · stand · cabinet · bear

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pop — music
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pop — soda
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bulb — for light
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ball — a great time
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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