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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. charge — electricity
  3. tube — a container
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. scale — in music
  6. bass — low music
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bass — the fish
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. land — a country
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. land — ground
  20. scale — size or range
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. land — to come down
  24. tube — the underground

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