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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 116 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
468
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 · trunk · rock · mug · wind · bank · bark · coach

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rock — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — a face
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of a tree

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