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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. fall — the season
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. perch — the fish
  11. tube — a container
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. club — for dancing
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. safe — a strongbox

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