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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. club — for dancing
  5. tube — a container
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pit — a hole
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rush — hurry
  10. club — a group
  11. key — in music
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. club — for golf
  15. branch — a division
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pit — in a race

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