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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fine — all right
  4. firm — a company
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. tube — a container
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. firm — decided
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pit — in a race
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pit — a hole
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. plane — a tool

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