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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: root · bulb · bass · chip · bore · shower · row · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. shower — rain
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bass — the fish
  10. chip — for betting
  11. root — the cause
  12. row — to paddle
  13. root — of a word
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — of a plant
  18. bass — low music
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. row — a line
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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