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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — a container
  4. mark — a grade
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. suit — clothes
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wound — an injury
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. board — a committee
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mark — a trace
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. tube — the underground
  24. patient — a sick person

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