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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. stock — goods
  11. tube — a container
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bound — certain
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — obliged
  17. stock — shares
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mouse — for a computer

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