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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 120 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: rest · bulb · chair · bat · ruler · dip · trunk · root

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. root — of a word
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rest — a break
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. root — the cause
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bat — the animal
  23. dip — to sink
  24. chair — a leader

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