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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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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 · wake · firm · bay · cabinet · tube · sharp · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. firm — a company
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wake — a trail
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. wake — before a funeral

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