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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 116 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: bound · trunk · calf · content · wax · tube · pitch · lash

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. tube — the underground
  4. content — the amount
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pitch — completely
  13. content — happy
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wax — to grow
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bound — certain

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