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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. court — of law
  3. row — to paddle
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rest — a break
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — a container
  8. net — for catching
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. chip — to eat
  13. row — a line
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. court — of a king
  17. suit — to fit
  18. court — for sport
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. chip — for betting

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