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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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468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. row — a line
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tube — a container
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — the time now
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. row — to paddle
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — for paper
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. present — there
  19. clip — to cut
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — the animal

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