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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mug — a face
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mug — to rob
  5. tube — the underground
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. row — a line
  10. net — for catching
  11. staff — employees
  12. mug — a cup
  13. row — to paddle
  14. face — to point toward
  15. net — in sport
  16. tear — from crying
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — to bear
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tube — a container
  21. face — to confront
  22. staff — a stick
  23. net — after costs
  24. tear — to rip

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