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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 laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. chest — of your body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. chest — a box
  5. current — of water
  6. mark — a trace
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mark — a grade
  10. tube — a container
  11. prune — to trim
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fine — high quality
  14. prune — to trim
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. fine — all right
  17. snap — to click
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. current — happening now
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. current — electric
  24. mark — to pay attention

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