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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. staff — employees
  3. firm — steady
  4. tube — the underground
  5. suit — clothes
  6. staff — a stick
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. tube — a container
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — the season
  11. firm — decided
  12. pop — to visit
  13. hand — help
  14. pop — music
  15. hand — in cards
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pop — soda
  18. content — happy
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. spring — a coil
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — to fit
  23. firm — a company
  24. content — the amount

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