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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rock — music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. tube — the underground
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. tube — a container
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pound — a weight
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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