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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.

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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: coach · trunk · bulb · fall · cue · mark · branch · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mark — a trace
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fall — to drop
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mark — a grade
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — a division
  21. fall — the season
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. suit — in cards

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