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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. fall — to drop
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. firm — a company
  10. toast — bread
  11. ball — a dance
  12. tube — the underground
  13. firm — steady
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. root — of a word
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. root — of a plant
  19. firm — decided
  20. ball — a great time
  21. tube — a container
  22. root — the cause
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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