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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. track — a song
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. race — the arms race
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. race — a contest
  16. race — humankind
  17. tube — the underground
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. tube — a container

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