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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cap — a lid
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. last — to go on
  5. cap — of ice
  6. stock — shares
  7. last — finally
  8. tube — a container
  9. stock — goods
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. tube — the underground
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. last — final

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