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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: bound · current · tube · trunk · bear · season · arm · pitch

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. current — of water
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. current — electric
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bound — tied together
  9. current — happening now
  10. season — in sport
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bound — certain
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. bear — the animal
  23. season — of the year
  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