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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: bear · mate · file · tube · fan · stick · bat · trunk

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. file — a document
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. file — a tool
  21. bear — the animal
  22. tube — a container
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mate — to breed

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