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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. present — the time now
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. present — there
  6. bank — of a river
  7. ground — crushed
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. kid — to tease
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. ground — the earth
  15. kid — child
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ground — a position
  19. tube — a container
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. present — a gift
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bank — for money

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