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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: bowl · band · bay · trunk · suit · bulb · face · can

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. can — a tin
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. face — to confront
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. face — to point toward
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — clothes
  15. can — to be able to
  16. band — a music group
  17. bulb — for light
  18. band — a ring
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. can — a tin
  24. face — part of the head

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