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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. last — finally
  4. stand — to bear
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — there
  11. squash — to crush
  12. last — final
  13. squash — the sport
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. present — a gift
  17. last — to go on
  18. present — the time now
  19. staff — employees
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. tear — to rip
  22. fine — all right
  23. staff — a stick
  24. stand — for spectators

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