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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — to rob
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rule — government
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. tube — a container
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. tube — the underground
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mug — a face
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rule — a law
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mug — a cup
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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