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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 116 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: field · rock · season · fan · deal · bulb · trunk · bore

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. season — in sport
  3. bulb — for light
  4. field — farmland
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rock — a stone
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bore — to tire
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bore — to drill
  23. field — for sport
  24. trunk — of a car

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