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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cold — not warm
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mark — a trace
  17. tube — a container
  18. cold — an illness
  19. cue — for pool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. mark — a grade
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. racket — for tennis

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