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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 120 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: trunk · mug · bulb · track · stand · file · ball · spell

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ball — a great time
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a path
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ball — a dance
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. file — a tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. file — a line of people
  17. track — a song
  18. spell — letters
  19. stand — to bear
  20. spell — magic
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. file — a document
  24. bulb — for light

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