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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. tube — the underground
  4. root — the cause
  5. last — to go on
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. tube — a container
  8. chip — to eat
  9. last — finally
  10. chip — for betting
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. root — of a plant
  15. last — final
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. root — of a word
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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