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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: plane · capital · trunk · bulb · pop · bank · nail · wake

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bank — for money
  10. pop — soda
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. capital — a city
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pop — music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. capital — money
  20. bank — for money
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. plane — a tool

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