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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fall — to drop
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ground — a position
  9. fall — the season
  10. ground — crushed
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. snap — to click
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. tube — a container
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. last — to go on
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. last — finally
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bear — the animal
  22. last — final
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bear — 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