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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 120 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. can — to be able to
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. can — a tin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rule — government
  17. shower — rain
  18. can — a tin
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — to wash
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rule — a law
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rush — a thrill

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