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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fall — the season
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. court — for sport
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. tube — a container
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. band — a music group
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. board — to get on
  13. court — of a king
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. band — a ring
  18. court — of law
  19. board — a committee
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. fan — a supporter

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