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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. lie — to recline
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. key — the most important part
  16. game — a match
  17. fine — all right
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. key — in music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — wild animals
  24. tube — a container

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