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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.

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: tube · bank · bat · rash · racket · cue · trunk · file

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — of a river
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. cue — a hint
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bat — the animal
  11. file — a document
  12. tube — the underground
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bank — for money
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. rash — hasty
  19. tube — a container
  20. cue — a signal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rash — a series
  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