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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 116 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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468
Word bank
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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fine — all right
  7. chair — a leader
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pit — in a race
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fine — high quality
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. tube — the underground
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. deal — a big deal

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