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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — a container
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. net — in sport
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. shower — rain
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stand — to bear
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. tube — the underground
  24. nail — for a hammer

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