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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.

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: band · bulb · mouse · trunk · drill · shower · leaves · pit

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bulb — for light
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. drill — the tool
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. shower — rain
  10. drill — a practice
  11. band — a music group
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. shower — to wash
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pit — in a race
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pit — a hole
  20. drill — army training
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. band — a ring
  24. leaves — lets stay

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