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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 120 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. suit — clothes
  6. firm — decided
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rock — music
  11. tube — a container
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bank — of a river
  15. tube — the underground
  16. firm — a company
  17. bank — for money
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. bank — for money
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. suit — in cards
  24. firm — steady

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