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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pit — in a race
  7. swing — music
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. swing — in golf
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. swing — to play on
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. deal — to handle
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. drill — a practice
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. branch — a division
  23. pit — a hole
  24. tube — the underground

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