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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. root — of a plant
  4. band — a ring
  5. tube — the underground
  6. root — of a word
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tube — a container
  11. suit — clothes
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. scale — in music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pitch — completely
  19. root — the cause
  20. band — a music group
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. craft — a skill

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