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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. last — finally
  3. tube — the underground
  4. net — in sport
  5. present — a gift
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a ring
  10. present — the time now
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. net — after costs
  17. cue — a signal
  18. tube — a container
  19. present — there
  20. last — to go on
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. last — final
  24. bowl — a dish

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