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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: foot · trunk · pit · tube · fork · club · can · hand

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. hand — help
  3. pit — in a race
  4. foot — a measure
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. club — for dancing
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. can — a tin
  14. fork — in a road
  15. tube — the underground
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. can — a tin
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. club — a group
  21. tube — a container
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. club — for golf
  24. tube — in a tire

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