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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  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. fall — to drop
  3. stand — to bear
  4. root — of a plant
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. board — to get on
  10. fall — the season
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — a container
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. board — a committee
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fork — in a road
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — the cause
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  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