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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. track — to keep track
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. tube — a container
  9. bore — to drill
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. club — for golf
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. club — a group
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bore — to tire
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. track — a song
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stand — to bear
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. track — a path

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