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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. tube — a container
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. court — for sport
  6. press — newspapers
  7. tube — the underground
  8. court — of a king
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. press — to push
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. court — of law
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — a weight
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mouse — the animal

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