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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — a container
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spell — magic
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. court — of law
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. court — for sport
  17. rush — hurry
  18. spell — letters
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. key — in music
  23. spell — a short time
  24. court — of a king

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