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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. tube — a container
  6. snap — to click
  7. wind — moving air
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mug — to rob
  11. face — to point toward
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rush — hurry
  14. season — in sport
  15. face — part of the head
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. season — of the year
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. tube — the underground
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. face — to confront
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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