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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tube — a container
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pass — a permit
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pitch — completely
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pass — to succeed

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