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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bound — tied together
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. tube — the underground
  7. kick — in football
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. craft — boats
  10. press — to push
  11. bound — certain
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. tube — a container
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. press — a publisher
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. craft — a skill
  22. bound — obliged
  23. press — newspapers
  24. craft — a handicraft

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