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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rule — a law
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. present — a gift
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — of the year
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. season — in sport
  12. present — there
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — the time now
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rule — government
  24. nail — for a hammer

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