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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 120 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. tube — the underground
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — in cards
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. suit — clothes
  10. tear — to rip
  11. tube — a container
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rock — music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ball — a great time
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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