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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 124 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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. stock — goods
  10. tube — a container
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bulb — for light
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stock — shares
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mark — a grade

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