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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rush — hurry
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. last — to go on
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. last — finally
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. last — final
  21. snap — to click
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bowl — a dish
  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