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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. firm — a company
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. face — to confront
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. firm — decided
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. face — to point toward
  11. sharp — clever
  12. deal — to handle
  13. tube — the underground
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. firm — steady
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chip — for betting
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — a supporter

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