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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. tube — a container
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pitcher — a jug

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