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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. deal — to handle
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wound — an injury
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kick — in football
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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