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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: bank · arm · mouse · rash · trunk · mate · bore · tube

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. tube — a container
  10. rash — hasty
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mate — a friend
  24. rash — a series

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