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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chip · object · tube · lash · march · row · trunk · lean

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — for betting
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. row — to paddle
  12. tube — the underground
  13. row — a line
  14. object — a thing
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lean — to bend
  18. chip — to eat
  19. march — music
  20. tube — a container
  21. lean — thin
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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