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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spring — a coil
  4. tube — the underground
  5. current — happening now
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. current — of water
  8. spring — the season
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. craft — a skill
  12. spring — of water
  13. tube — a container
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. current — electric
  18. craft — boats
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. temple — a place of worship

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