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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. lie — to recline
  5. tube — a container
  6. track — a path
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. content — happy
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. track — a song
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. track — to keep track

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