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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
468
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: bulb · nail · trunk · rock · lean · cell · saw · content

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bulb — for light
  10. content — the amount
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. content — happy
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — a stone
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rock — music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. saw — the tool
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. cell — in biology

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