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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. key — the most important part
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. march — the month
  8. object — a thing
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. object — an aim
  11. row — a line
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. march — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. row — to paddle
  18. march — the month
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. object — to protest

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