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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.

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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — a company
  5. root — of a plant
  6. firm — decided
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. tube — the underground
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. root — the cause
  12. land — a country
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. root — of a word
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — high quality
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. land — to come down
  21. fine — all right
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. land — ground
  24. rush — hurry

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