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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cue — a hint
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. net — in sport
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. cue — a signal
  14. kick — in football
  15. net — after costs
  16. cue — for pool
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. net — for catching
  19. tube — the underground
  20. game — wild animals
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. game — a match
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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