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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 116 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rest — a break
  5. tube — a container
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. plane — a tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cell — in biology
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rest — what's left
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hide — to keep secret

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