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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. march — the month
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a line of people
  7. file — a document
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. squash — the sport
  10. march — the month
  11. squash — to crush
  12. charge — in control
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — the underground
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. march — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. charge — electricity
  21. perch — the fish
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. file — a tool
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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