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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. firm — steady
  3. pass — a permit
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. saw — the tool
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. club — for golf
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. firm — decided
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. saw — the tool
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. scale — size or range
  18. tube — a container
  19. firm — a company
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. club — a group
  22. scale — in music
  23. tube — the underground
  24. pass — to spend time

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