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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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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — high quality
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tube — a container
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fine — all right
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stock — a soup base

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