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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. plane — a tool
  4. chip — to eat
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. kick — in football
  8. cold — not warm
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. suit — clothes
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. tube — a container
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mouse — for a computer

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