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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tube — a container
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. dip — to sink
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hand — help
  10. bear — the animal
  11. firm — a company
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. firm — decided
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. firm — steady
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. hand — in cards
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bear — to put up with

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