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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. prune — to trim
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tube — a container
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lean — thin
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. tube — the underground
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lean — to rest against

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