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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.

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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: bowl · pit · fine · tube · trunk · bank · wax · chip

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. wax — to grow
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. fine — all right
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pit — a hole
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bank — of a river
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a dish

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