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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. club — a group
  11. bank — of a river
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. club — for golf
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — certain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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