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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: leaves · file · chip · sharp · trunk · tube · content · prune

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. chip — for betting
  5. file — a document
  6. file — a tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. prune — to trim
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. file — a line of people
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. content — happy
  18. tube — a container
  19. prune — to trim
  20. content — the amount
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. sharp — clever
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. leaves — lets stay

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