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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 116 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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bank — of a river
  6. tube — a container
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. spell — magic
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rest — a break
  16. spell — letters
  17. staff — employees
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. staff — employees
  23. spell — a short time
  24. trunk — of a car

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