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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: calf · coach · track · fine · tube · perch · trunk · bound

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fine — high quality
  5. tube — the underground
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. track — to keep track
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bound — tied together
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. track — a path
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bound — obliged
  17. tube — a container
  18. track — a song
  19. bound — certain
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fine — all right

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