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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. shower — to wash
  4. tube — the underground
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wind — moving air
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. kick — in football
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — a container
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. shower — rain
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. fork — to eat with

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