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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. ground — the earth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — to fit
  7. last — final
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — for light
  10. last — finally
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ground — a position
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ground — crushed
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. last — to go on
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. row — a line

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