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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 116 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: mug · tube · patient · rule · stock · chip · trunk · ball

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stock — goods
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — shares
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. tube — a container
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rule — a law
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rule — government
  23. mug — a face
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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