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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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. lie — to recline
  4. can — a tin
  5. swing — to play on
  6. spell — magic
  7. rock — a stone
  8. season — in sport
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — letters
  14. cap — of ice
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. season — of the year
  19. spell — a short time
  20. can — to be able to
  21. tube — a container
  22. can — a tin
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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