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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. court — for sport
  6. mug — a cup
  7. court — of a king
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mug — a face
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. tube — a container
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. court — of law
  19. tube — the underground
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mug — to rob
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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