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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 116 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wound — an injury
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — clothes
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bound — obliged
  17. fine — high quality
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tube — a container
  21. bound — certain
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bound — tied together

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