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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: date · saw · face · pit · trunk · present · bulb · rock

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — the time now
  7. saw — the tool
  8. present — there
  9. pit — in a race
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. face — to confront
  12. rock — music
  13. saw — the tool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pit — a hole
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. face — part of the head
  19. present — a gift
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rock — a stone
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bulb — of a plant

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