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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: tube · trunk · jam · straw · stand · row · temple · foot

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. row — a line
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stand — to bear
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. row — to paddle
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — a container
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. tube — the underground
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. foot — a measure
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. row — a quarrel

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