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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. plane — a tool
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. scale — in music
  10. cold — an illness
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. firm — a company
  15. tube — a container
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cold — not warm
  21. pass — a permit
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. scale — size or range
  24. suit — clothes

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