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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. swing — in golf
  3. stem — to come from
  4. swing — to play on
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. content — the amount
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. swing — music
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. plane — a tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. content — happy
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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