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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. scale — size or range
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. tube — the underground
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. track — to keep track
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — a container
  23. scale — in music
  24. hide — animal skin

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