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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  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. tube — in a tire
  2. capital — money
  3. present — there
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. last — finally
  6. tube — the underground
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. present — the time now
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. capital — a city
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. last — to go on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. last — final
  19. present — a gift
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wind — moving air
  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