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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: stock · trunk · fall · leaves · bulb · snap · bore · plane

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. fall — to drop
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. stock — shares
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stock — goods

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