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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. chip — to eat
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fine — all right
  11. tube — a container
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. band — a music group
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bat — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chip — in a computer

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