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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bear — the animal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. tube — a container
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — to play on
  21. tube — the underground
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. scale — size or range

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