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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. roll — a list
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. key — in music
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. tube — a container
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — music
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spell — magic
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. spell — letters
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. dip — to sink
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. key — for a lock

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