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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. last — finally
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. last — to go on
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stock — goods
  15. branch — a division
  16. wax — to grow
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. stock — shares
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. last — final
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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