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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. tube — the underground
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. tube — a container
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. face — part of the head
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bass — low music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. face — to confront
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. suit — clothes
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rush — hurry
  20. key — in music
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bore — to tire
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bore — to drill

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