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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rock — music
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wind — moving air
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. board — to get on
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. board — a committee
  24. present — there

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