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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. key — the most important part
  4. suit — clothes
  5. tube — a container
  6. stock — goods
  7. band — a music group
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. suit — in cards
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tube — the underground
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stock — shares
  15. band — a ring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. key — in music
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. key — for a lock
  24. temple — side of the head

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