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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — a partner
  4. tube — the underground
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ground — the earth
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ground — a position
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. tube — a container
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mate — a friend
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ground — crushed
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. calf — of the leg

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