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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 116 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. mate — a friend
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kid — to tease
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. rest — a break
  12. mate — a partner
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mate — to breed
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kid — child
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. track — a song
  24. mouse — the animal

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