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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
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 · sharp · cabinet · rash · fork · trunk · wound · bay

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rash — hasty
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. sharp — with an edge

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