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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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Word bank
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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. date — the fruit
  5. suit — to fit
  6. hand — help
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pitch — completely
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. suit — in cards
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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