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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · ruler · tube · pitcher · board · fall · file · season

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a committee
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. season — of the year
  7. file — a document
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. foot — a measure
  12. fall — the season
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. file — a tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fall — to drop
  20. file — a line of people
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. tube — a container

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