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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. craft — a skill
  3. spell — letters
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pop — music
  6. tube — a container
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. spell — a short time
  11. key — in music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pop — soda
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. pass — a permit
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pop — to visit
  20. tube — the underground
  21. spell — magic
  22. craft — boats
  23. key — the most important part
  24. temple — side of the head

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