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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: toast · mate · tube · rush · drill · lean · trunk · bank

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lean — to bend
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bank — for money
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rush — hurry
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. toast — bread
  22. lean — thin
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rush — to hurry

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