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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: band · rock · bulb · chest · trunk · press · date · calf

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. band — a music group
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. press — to push
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rock — music
  11. chest — a box
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. rock — a stone
  15. press — a publisher
  16. chest — of your body
  17. press — newspapers
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. calf — a young animal

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