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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pop — music
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tube — a container
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. charge — electricity
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pop — soda
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. charge — a price
  20. swing — in golf
  21. charge — in control
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. swing — music

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