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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. pound — a weight
  5. face — to confront
  6. fine — all right
  7. pit — in a race
  8. root — the cause
  9. tube — the underground
  10. root — of a plant
  11. fine — high quality
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bass — low music
  18. face — part of the head
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pit — a hole

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