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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: bulb · lie · trunk · safe · patient · band · drill · fork

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a music group
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bulb — for light
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. drill — a practice
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. drill — army training
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. drill — the tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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