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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rush — hurry
  7. swing — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. chest — a box
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. chest — of your body
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. face — to point toward
  22. suit — clothes
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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