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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.

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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: mark · trunk · bulb · bore · roll · pitch · hand · shower

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. shower — rain
  6. hand — help
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hand — in cards
  11. roll — a list
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. shower — to wash
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitch — completely
  23. roll — a cake
  24. pitch — a sports field

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