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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 120 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: fork · trunk · stand · shower · mark · mug · bulb · band

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. mark — a trace
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mug — to rob
  12. band — a ring
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. mug — a face
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bulb — for light
  20. shower — to wash
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. shower — rain
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. band — a music group

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