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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. tube — the underground
  4. toast — bread
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. object — a thing
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mark — a trace
  11. object — to protest
  12. deal — to handle
  13. tube — a container
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. object — an aim
  22. bound — tied together
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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