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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. file — a tool
  6. capital — a city
  7. club — a group
  8. key — the most important part
  9. club — for dancing
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. tube — a container
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. file — a line of people
  15. key — for a lock
  16. tube — the underground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — to bear
  22. file — a document
  23. key — in music
  24. club — for golf

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