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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. hand — in cards
  3. firm — a company
  4. tube — the underground
  5. season — in sport
  6. tube — a container
  7. ground — the earth
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ground — crushed
  11. season — of the year
  12. current — of water
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. current — electric
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. current — happening now
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. firm — decided
  23. hand — help
  24. mouse — for a computer

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