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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. tube — the underground
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. suit — in cards
  7. net — after costs
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. net — in sport
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. charge — a price
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. charge — in control
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitch — completely
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. net — for catching
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. suit — to fit

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