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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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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: pit · stand · hide · present · mouse · tube · trunk · pound

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. pit — a hole
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pound — a weight
  16. tube — the underground
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. present — there
  23. stand — to bear
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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