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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cue — for pool
  4. tube — the underground
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pit — a hole
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. plane — a tool
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. net — for catching
  17. suit — clothes
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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