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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. firm — a company
  3. stand — to bear
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wound — an injury
  13. firm — decided
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. firm — steady
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bass — low music
  19. mate — to breed
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bass — the fish

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