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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mark — a trace
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bound — certain
  9. chest — a box
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. tube — a container
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bound — tied together
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chest — of your body

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