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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. tube — the underground
  8. net — after costs
  9. band — a music group
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. suit — to fit
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. net — for catching
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. net — in sport
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. land — ground
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. band — a ring
  21. suit — in cards
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bowl — a dish

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