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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. file — a line of people
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. firm — steady
  7. file — a document
  8. firm — a company
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bank — for money
  11. file — a tool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — of ice
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bank — of a river
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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