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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wake — a trail
  4. firm — steady
  5. roll — a list
  6. firm — a company
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mark — a trace
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mark — a grade
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. roll — a cake
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. firm — decided
  22. tube — a container
  23. chair — a leader
  24. plane — in geometry

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