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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. content — the amount
  3. tube — the underground
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. press — to push
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. press — a publisher
  12. press — newspapers
  13. tube — a container
  14. content — happy
  15. chip — for betting
  16. track — a song
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer

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