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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. tube — a container
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. club — a group
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pit — a hole
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bear — the animal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. tube — the underground
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. plane — a tool
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pit — in a race
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chip — to eat

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