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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mark — a trace
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — in music
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bore — to drill
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bass — low music
  23. tube — a container
  24. scale — size or range

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