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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. branch — a division
  5. swing — music
  6. bound — tied together
  7. tube — a container
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. swing — in golf
  14. tube — the underground
  15. kick — in football
  16. bound — certain
  17. suit — to fit
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. swing — to play on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bound — obliged
  24. suit — in cards

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