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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. tube — a container
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bound — certain
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. object — to protest
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. object — a thing
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bound — tied together
  16. toast — bread
  17. object — an aim
  18. bound — obliged
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. field — a subject
  21. fine — high quality
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — for sport

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