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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: content · bowl · wave · bulb · rash · sharp · trunk · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. content — happy
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. rash — hasty
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rash — a series
  23. content — the amount
  24. trunk — of a car

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