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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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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: pass · bulb · chest · trunk · object · cold · suit · ruler

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chest — a box
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cold — an illness
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. object — to protest
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cold — not warm
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chest — of your body
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pass — a permit

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