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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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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: coach · spell · stand · trunk · nail · bound · bulb · rest

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rest — a break
  3. bound — certain
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stand — to bear
  7. spell — magic
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bound — obliged
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bound — tied together
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. spell — a short time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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