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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. tube — a container
  3. track — a path
  4. pop — to visit
  5. club — a group
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. track — a song
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — for dancing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pop — soda
  17. tube — the underground
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pop — music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bank — for money

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