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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. board — to get on
  5. object — an aim
  6. pit — in a race
  7. drill — army training
  8. season — of the year
  9. cap — a lid
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. object — to protest
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. board — a committee
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — in sport
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. object — a thing

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