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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: press · plane · spring · wake · bulb · rock · calf · trunk

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — music
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wake — a trail
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. press — to push
  17. press — newspapers
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rock — a stone
  20. press — a publisher
  21. spring — of water
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rock — to move gently

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