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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · calf · trunk · mate · game · tube · pass · face

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mate — to breed
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. face — to point toward
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. squash — the sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mate — a friend
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. tube — a container
  17. game — a match
  18. mate — a partner
  19. tube — the underground
  20. game — wild animals
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. face — to confront
  24. game — a kind of play

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