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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 116 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. degree — an amount
  4. degree — temperature
  5. suit — clothes
  6. board — to get on
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. tube — the underground
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. tube — a container
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — in cards
  16. degree — from a university
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — a committee
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. suit — to fit

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