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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. can — a tin
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. chip — to eat
  9. roll — a cake
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. can — a tin
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. tube — a container
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — shares
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. roll — a list
  22. tube — the underground
  23. chip — for betting
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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