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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. swing — in golf
  5. degree — temperature
  6. capital — money
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mug — a cup
  9. swing — music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. degree — from a university
  13. tube — a container
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. swing — to play on
  17. mug — a face
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mug — to rob
  23. capital — a city
  24. degree — an amount

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