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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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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 · snap · bulb · nail · trunk · jam · prune · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mark — a trace
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. snap — to click
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. prune — to trim
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — the fruit

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