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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · rock · trunk · calf · squash · tube · net · charge

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. tube — the underground
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. charge — a price
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. tube — a container
  12. rock — a stone
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — for catching
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. charge — electricity
  21. squash — the sport
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — music
  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