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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 120 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 need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  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 — in a tire
  2. root — the cause
  3. root — of a plant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rule — a law
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. root — of a word
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. tube — a container
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rule — government
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. wave — of the sea
  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