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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bass — low music
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. clip — a video
  10. board — to get on
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bass — the fish
  13. clip — for paper
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. board — a committee
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wave — with your hand

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