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

Word bank: bay · toast · capital · ruler · trunk · tube · patient · squash

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. toast — bread
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. capital — a city
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. squash — to crush
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. squash — the sport
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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