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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. suit — to fit
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. capital — money
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — the underground
  14. capital — a city
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pop — soda
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rule — a law
  20. suit — in cards
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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