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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. tube — the underground
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mark — a grade
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lean — thin
  13. season — in sport
  14. lean — to bend
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a dance
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. season — of the year
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. tube — a container

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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