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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stand — to bear
  4. tube — a container
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. tube — the underground
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bore — to drill
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bass — the fish
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. bore — to tire
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. kick — in football
  24. bass — low music

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