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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · scale · stand · bass · chair · arm · bulb · trunk

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. scale — in music
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bulb — for light
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chair — a leader
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. bass — low music
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bass — the fish
  24. chair — a professorship

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