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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. row — to paddle
  3. tube — a container
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. roll — a list
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. row — a line
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. branch — a division
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mouse — the animal

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