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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. present — the time now
  9. prune — to trim
  10. face — to point toward
  11. plane — a tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. prune — to trim
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. face — part of the head
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. face — to confront
  21. cell — a phone
  22. present — there
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. present — a gift

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