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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bass — low music
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. charge — in control
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tube — a container
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rush — hurry

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