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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: tube · bay · ball · key · chip · trunk · pit · bear

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. key — the most important part
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. key — in music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — a hole
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pit — in a race
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. tube — a container
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. key — for a lock
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bear — the animal

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