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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. root — of a word
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bound — tied together
  5. tube — the underground
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. tube — a container
  8. suit — to fit
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bound — certain
  19. squash — to crush
  20. snap — to click
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. squash — the vegetable

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