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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · tube · rash · trunk · suit · fine · foot · kid

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. kid — to tease
  6. present — a gift
  7. foot — a measure
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rash — a series
  11. suit — clothes
  12. present — the time now
  13. rash — hasty
  14. tube — the underground
  15. present — there
  16. fine — all right
  17. tube — a container
  18. kid — child
  19. suit — in cards
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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