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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · tube · squash · suit · calf · perch · mine · chair

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. suit — to fit
  3. tube — the underground
  4. perch — the fish
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. squash — to crush
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — for digging
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chair — a leader
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — clothes
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. chair — to sit on

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