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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. tube — a container
  5. track — to keep track
  6. suit — in cards
  7. charge — a price
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pound — a weight
  10. suit — clothes
  11. track — a path
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. charge — in control
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. charge — electricity
  17. tube — the underground
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rash — a series
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. cap — of ice
  23. suit — to fit
  24. track — a song

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