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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 124 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. can — a tin
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — a container
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bore — to tire
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fork — a garden tool

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