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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. club — for golf
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. current — happening now
  10. foot — a measure
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. tube — a container
  18. current — of water
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pitch — completely
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. current — electric
  24. fan — a supporter

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