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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: bay · stand · roll · trunk · can · tube · hand · temple

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. hand — in cards
  4. can — to be able to
  5. tube — the underground
  6. can — a tin
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. hand — help
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stand — to bear
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. tube — a container
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. roll — a cake

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