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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 116 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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. tube — a container
  3. firm — a company
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pit — in a race
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pop — to visit
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. firm — decided
  14. pop — music
  15. ball — a dance
  16. press — a publisher
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. pop — soda
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. firm — steady
  22. press — to push
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pit — a hole

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