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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. foot — a measure
  5. drill — a practice
  6. tube — a container
  7. track — a song
  8. staff — employees
  9. track — a path
  10. drill — army training
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. tube — the underground
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. cell — a phone
  15. drill — the tool
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. staff — employees
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cell — in biology
  21. staff — a stick
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. track — to keep track
  24. leaves — of a tree

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