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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. tube — the underground
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. scale — size or range
  16. present — a gift
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. scale — in music
  20. row — a line
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. row — to paddle
  24. tube — a container

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