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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. tube — a container
  8. fall — to drop
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fall — to drop
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. object — a thing
  14. fall — the season
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. drill — army training
  19. charge — a price
  20. stand — to bear
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. drill — a practice
  23. charge — electricity
  24. drill — the tool

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