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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wake — a trail
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fork — in a road
  8. content — the amount
  9. capital — money
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. capital — a city
  24. cabinet — ministers

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