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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. tube — a container
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. pit — a hole
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pit — in a race
  21. lie — to recline
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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