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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mug — a face
  4. chest — a box
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. season — of the year
  7. tube — a container
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. season — in sport
  11. chip — for betting
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. spring — a coil
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rock — music
  17. mate — to breed
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — of water
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mate — a partner
  23. chest — of your body
  24. tube — the underground

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