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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 120 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. ground — a position
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rock — music
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ground — the earth
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ground — crushed
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rock — a stone
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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