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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 120 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — for golf
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a great time
  12. club — a group
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stand — to bear
  21. tube — a container
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. tube — the underground

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