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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 120 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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. present — there
  3. mug — a face
  4. object — an aim
  5. mug — to rob
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rock — a stone
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. present — a gift
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. object — a thing
  17. tube — a container
  18. kid — child
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mug — a cup
  22. object — to protest
  23. present — the time now
  24. tube — in a tire

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