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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.

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: trunk · can · dip · present · patient · kick · scale · bulb

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — for light
  5. present — there
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. can — a tin
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. present — a gift
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. scale — size or range
  16. can — a tin
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. dip — to sink
  19. present — the time now
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. scale — in music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. can — to be able to

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