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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. date — the fruit
  4. tube — a container
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — the underground
  11. charge — in control
  12. scale — size or range
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. scale — in music
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — electricity
  24. date — on the calendar

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