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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. can — to be able to
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. file — a line of people
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ball — a great time
  15. can — a tin
  16. file — a document
  17. bass — low music
  18. pitch — completely
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. file — a tool
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bass — the fish
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hide — to keep secret

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