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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. board — to get on
  9. bass — low music
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — to handle
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. bass — the fish
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — a committee
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. tube — a container
  21. club — for golf
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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