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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. mine — for digging
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. fall — the season
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. fall — to drop
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. tube — the underground
  18. fall — to drop
  19. tube — a container
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — to be able to

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