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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 116 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. object — a thing
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. tube — a container
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. object — an aim
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. object — to protest
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bear — the animal
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. deal — to handle

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