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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. net — in sport
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wound — an injury
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wound — an injury
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. net — after costs
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. tube — a container
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rest — a break
  19. bore — to tire
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. net — for catching
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rest — what's left

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