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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
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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: trunk · drill · tube · rule · leaves · mouse · board · present

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. drill — the tool
  6. tube — the underground
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. tube — a container
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rule — government
  16. drill — army training
  17. present — there
  18. board — a committee
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. board — to get on
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. leaves — to go away

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