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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: can · bulb · jam · trunk · rest · track · stick · date

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. track — a song
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bulb — for light
  14. date — the fruit
  15. track — a path
  16. can — a tin
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rest — a break
  19. bulb — for light
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. can — to be able to
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. track — to keep track
  24. date — on the calendar

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