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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. key — the most important part
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stock — goods
  7. firm — steady
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bat — the animal
  10. key — in music
  11. can — a tin
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. firm — a company
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. firm — decided
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. tube — a container
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stock — shares
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. can — to be able to

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