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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. current — of water
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. current — electric
  8. craft — boats
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tube — the underground
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. board — a committee
  24. current — happening now

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