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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. branch — a division
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. tube — a container
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pound — a weight
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. tube — the underground

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