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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ground — the earth
  4. season — of the year
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. land — ground
  7. land — to come down
  8. ground — a position
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. ground — crushed
  11. season — in sport
  12. staff — a stick
  13. toast — bread
  14. staff — employees
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. staff — employees
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. land — a country
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — a container
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. tube — the underground

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