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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fine — all right
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bore — to tire
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. chip — for betting
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cap — a lid
  13. firm — steady
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cap — of ice
  16. tube — a container
  17. fine — high quality
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. firm — a company
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — decided
  24. foot — the bottom

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