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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rest — a break
  3. kick — in football
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. court — of law
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. court — for sport
  11. court — of a king
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tube — a container
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — in cards
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mine — for digging
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a dance

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