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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: trunk · stick · clip · rest · mug · bay · bulb · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. clip — for paper
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mug — a face
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rest — what's left
  18. clip — a video
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. clip — to cut
  23. rest — a break
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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