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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: craft · trunk · branch · mouse · bowl · saw · bulb · cabinet

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. saw — the tool
  7. craft — boats
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. saw — the tool
  17. branch — a division
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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