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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: mouse · arm · trunk · bound · spell · plane · jam · tube

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. plane — a tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bound — obliged
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bound — certain
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — a container
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. spell — magic

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