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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.

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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 · mug · craft · bat · trunk · chair · season · plane

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. season — of the year
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. mug — a face
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chair — a leader
  11. mug — to rob
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bat — the animal
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mug — a cup
  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