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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. deal — to handle
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pop — soda
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rest — a break
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rest — what's left
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pop — music
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pit — in a race
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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