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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. roll — a list
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tube — a container
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. stand — to bear
  12. roll — a cake
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cue — for pool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cue — a signal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. tube — the underground
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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