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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. charge — a price
  3. chair — a leader
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. tube — a container
  6. suit — to fit
  7. charge — in control
  8. drill — the tool
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. saw — the tool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. saw — the tool
  13. scale — size or range
  14. branch — a division
  15. suit — clothes
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. drill — a practice
  20. scale — in music
  21. charge — electricity
  22. drill — army training
  23. suit — in cards
  24. tube — the underground

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