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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. net — in sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. mug — to rob
  7. net — for catching
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. tube — the underground
  10. drill — the tool
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. tube — a container
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cell — in biology
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. drill — army training
  22. net — after costs
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mug — a face

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