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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: craft · lean · trunk · chest · fan · cue · bulb · wax

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chest — of your body
  5. craft — boats
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chest — a box
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lean — thin
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wax — to grow
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chest — of your body
  24. craft — a skill

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