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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: trunk · bank · track · fan · object · perch · spring · bulb

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. object — to protest
  3. track — a path
  4. spring — the season
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. track — a song
  7. spring — a coil
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. object — a thing
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — the fish
  16. track — to keep track
  17. object — an aim
  18. spring — of water
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bulb — for light
  24. perch — for a bird

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