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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. tube — the underground
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rock — a stone
  7. charge — electricity
  8. degree — an amount
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — in control
  11. band — a ring
  12. tube — a container
  13. kick — in football
  14. ground — the earth
  15. degree — temperature
  16. staff — employees
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. staff — a stick
  19. degree — from a university
  20. ground — a position
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. rock — music
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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