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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 116 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. kick — in football
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. tube — a container
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. object — a thing
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. tube — the underground
  17. last — finally
  18. last — to go on
  19. perch — the fish
  20. object — an aim
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. last — final
  23. object — to protest
  24. trunk — of a car

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