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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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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: race · chip · trunk · arm · bulb · suit · bowl · cap

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. chip — to eat
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cap — a lid
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bulb — for light
  12. race — a contest
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. race — humankind
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. race — the arms race
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — clothes

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