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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rest — what's left
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pit — in a race
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. vault — a safe
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. rest — a break
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fine — high quality

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