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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. tube — a container
  6. content — happy
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. staff — a stick
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. tube — the underground
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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