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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cue — a hint
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. cue — a signal
  5. tube — a container
  6. face — part of the head
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — for pool
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — a lid
  16. key — in music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. tube — the underground
  19. face — to confront
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. key — the most important part

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