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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: press · can · safe · chest · perch · trunk · wound · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. can — a tin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — to be able to
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chest — of your body
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bulb — for light
  16. chest — of your body
  17. press — to push
  18. press — a publisher
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. press — newspapers
  23. can — a tin
  24. chest — a box

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