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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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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: court · mate · trunk · bulb · bank · lie · chest · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mate — to breed
  6. race — a contest
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. court — of a king
  15. chest — a box
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mate — a partner
  20. court — for sport
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bank — of a river
  23. race — humankind
  24. court — of law

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