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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. tube — a container
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. hand — help
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pass — to succeed

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