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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fine — high quality
  4. root — of a word
  5. pop — to visit
  6. root — the cause
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fine — all right
  9. spell — letters
  10. pop — soda
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pop — music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. spell — a short time
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. spell — magic

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