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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.

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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ball — a dance
  4. suit — in cards
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. tube — a container
  8. cap — a hat
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. tube — the underground
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cap — of ice
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cap — a lid

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