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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — a container
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. file — a document
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bank — for money
  9. file — a line of people
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. rock — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wind — moving air
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wind — moving air
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bank — for money
  23. file — a tool
  24. calf — a young 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