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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: trunk · stand · fall · court · temple · bulb · pass · tube

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. fall — the season
  4. court — for sport
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. tube — a container
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bulb — for light
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. court — of a king
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. court — of law
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. temple — a place of worship

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