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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: firm · toast · trunk · perch · drill · tube · wound · ball

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. tube — a container
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. firm — steady
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wound — an injury
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. tube — the underground
  11. firm — decided
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. perch — the fish
  14. ball — a great time
  15. firm — a company
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ball — a dance
  19. drill — the tool
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. drill — army training
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ball — a round shape

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