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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. drill — a practice
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mark — a trace
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lie — to recline
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pass — a permit
  17. club — for golf
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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