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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. rest — a break
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rest — what's left
  10. field — farmland
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rest — what's left
  13. tube — a container
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — an aim
  17. scale — in music
  18. object — a thing
  19. field — a subject
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. scale — size or range
  22. field — for sport
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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