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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.

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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — the underground
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pit — in a race
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. dip — to sink
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. content — happy
  15. pit — a hole
  16. content — the amount
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tube — a container

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