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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mate — to breed
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. net — in sport
  6. mate — a partner
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. spell — letters
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. press — to push
  12. rock — music
  13. current — of water
  14. spell — magic
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spell — a short time
  17. current — happening now
  18. press — a publisher
  19. tube — a container
  20. net — for catching
  21. press — newspapers
  22. mate — a friend
  23. tube — the underground
  24. net — after costs

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