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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — the time now
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. tube — a container
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — there
  10. court — of a king
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. tube — the underground
  13. mine — for digging
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bear — the animal
  16. court — for sport
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. court — of law
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. rest — what's left
  24. present — a gift

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