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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: row · object · rash · track · trunk · bulb · fan · pop

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pop — music
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. object — an aim
  6. pop — soda
  7. object — to protest
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. track — a path
  10. object — a thing
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pop — to visit
  13. rash — a series
  14. bulb — for light
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — a song
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bulb — for light
  21. row — a line
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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