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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.

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: tube · bass · staff · stick · ball · trunk · mouse · content

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — employees
  4. tube — a container
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bass — the fish
  7. tube — the underground
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ball — a dance
  10. content — happy
  11. bass — low music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. content — the amount
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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