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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: suit · lie · staff · hand · bulb · wind · tube · trunk

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bulb — for light
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. staff — employees
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tube — a container
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wind — moving air
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. hand — help
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — in cards
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. staff — employees
  24. wind — to turn a key

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