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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. stock — goods
  4. tube — the underground
  5. field — a subject
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. field — for sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stock — shares
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. fine — high quality
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pass — a permit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. ball — a great time
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. tube — a container
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chair — a leader
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. field — farmland
  24. chair — a professorship

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