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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rest — a break
  5. ground — crushed
  6. tube — a container
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rest — what's left
  10. lean — thin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. current — happening now
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. tube — the underground
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ground — the earth
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. lie — an untruth

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