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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — all right
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. club — for dancing
  10. band — a ring
  11. current — happening now
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. current — electric
  17. tube — the underground
  18. club — a group
  19. tube — a container
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. band — a music group
  23. current — of water
  24. band — a rubber band

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