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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. club — a group
  7. lean — to bend
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lean — thin
  12. bass — the fish
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. club — for dancing
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. club — for golf
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bass — low music
  24. pass — to succeed

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