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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bass — low music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. season — in sport
  10. tube — the underground
  11. key — in music
  12. season — of the year
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bound — certain
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bound — tied together
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. season — to add flavour

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