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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. board — to get on
  3. prune — to trim
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. tube — a container
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mug — a face
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. board — a committee
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mug — to rob
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mug — a cup
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bat — for baseball

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