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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 116 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: mark · trunk · bear · vault · leaves · file · bowl · bulb

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. file — a document
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — a safe
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mark — a grade
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bear — the animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. file — a line of people
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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