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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. last — final
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bound — obliged
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. last — to go on
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bound — tied together
  11. tube — a container
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. last — finally
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. tube — the underground

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