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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. swing — in golf
  9. board — a committee
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. board — to get on
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. date — the fruit
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mug — to rob
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. court — of law
  21. mug — a face
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. date — on the calendar

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