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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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. scale — in music
  7. chest — of your body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fall — to drop
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. chest — a box
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fall — the season
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. suit — in cards
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tube — a container
  24. foot — a measure

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