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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: pass · face · racket · season · drill · lean · bulb · trunk

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. drill — the tool
  3. face — to point toward
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. drill — a practice
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. season — of the year
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. season — in sport
  15. bulb — for light
  16. drill — army training
  17. lean — thin
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pass — a permit
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. racket — a loud noise

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