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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. tube — a container
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bank — of a river
  10. track — to keep track
  11. court — for sport
  12. track — a path
  13. bank — for money
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stem — to come from
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. tube — the underground
  22. track — a song
  23. bank — for money
  24. kick — with a leg

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