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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. drill — army training
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rash — a series
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. tube — the underground
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. drill — a practice
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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