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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. spring — a coil
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. spring — the season
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. can — to be able to
  16. plane — a tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — a match
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. spring — of water
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. can — a tin
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. safe — out of danger

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