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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.

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: chair · season · pit · tube · plane · trunk · fine · nail

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pit — in a race
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fine — all right
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fine — high quality
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. season — in sport
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. tube — a container
  21. season — of the year
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. tube — the underground
  24. nail — for a hammer

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