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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stand — to bear
  10. staff — employees
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. staff — a stick
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. staff — employees
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tube — a container
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mine — an explosive

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