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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: bulb · root · trunk · wake · cabinet · net · suit · hide

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bulb — for light
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. suit — in cards
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wake — a trail
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. root — of a word
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. net — for catching
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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