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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. swing — in golf
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chip — to eat
  7. swing — music
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. key — in music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. craft — boats
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bark — to shout

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