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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ball — a dance
  6. club — for dancing
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. ball — a great time
  9. club — a group
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. suit — to fit
  17. tube — a container
  18. bear — the animal
  19. kick — in football
  20. club — for golf
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. tube — the underground
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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