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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: trunk · object · cap · coach · rush · file · game · tube

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. file — a document
  6. game — a match
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. object — to protest
  10. file — a tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cap — of ice
  13. file — a line of people
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. object — a thing
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rush — hurry
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. game — wild animals
  22. object — an aim
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. tube — the underground

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