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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 120 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: bound · drill · stand · mark · dip · perch · bulb · trunk

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. drill — the tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bound — tied together
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — a grade
  14. drill — army training
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. stand — on your feet

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