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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: mug · tube · trunk · pit · row · charge · leaves · rule

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mug — a cup
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pit — a hole
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mug — a face
  9. rule — government
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — a law
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. row — a line
  16. tube — the underground
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. charge — a price
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. tube — a container
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. leaves — of a tree

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