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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. present — there
  4. file — a line of people
  5. present — a gift
  6. can — to be able to
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. file — a tool
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tube — a container
  11. craft — boats
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. craft — a skill
  14. foot — a measure
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. kick — in football
  17. can — a tin
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. present — the time now
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. can — a tin
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. file — a document

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