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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 120 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: calf · squash · bulb · tube · suit · trunk · rule · charge

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. squash — to crush
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — a price
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rule — government
  13. squash — the sport
  14. suit — clothes
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. charge — in control
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. charge — electricity
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tube — a container

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