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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 120 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stock — goods
  5. mate — a partner
  6. bound — certain
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stock — shares
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. season — in sport
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a friend
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. mate — to breed
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bound — obliged
  21. tube — a container
  22. mark — a trace
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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