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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. content — the amount
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bear — the animal
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. content — happy
  17. tube — a container
  18. bowl — to roll

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