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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. mate — to breed
  2. rest — what's left
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — for betting
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. track — to keep track
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. track — a path
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rest — what's left
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. track — a song
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rest — a break
  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