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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tube — the underground
  8. kick — in football
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tube — a container
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. kick — with a leg

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