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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rash — a series
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rash — hasty
  10. spring — a coil
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ground — crushed
  14. tube — a container
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. safe — a strongbox

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