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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 120 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kid — to tease
  5. prune — to trim
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. tube — the underground
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. snap — to click
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mate — a friend
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. prune — to trim
  21. kid — child
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. tube — a container
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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