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

Word bank: racket · tube · club · deal · safe · bass · tear · chip

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. tear — to rip
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. tube — the underground
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — the fish
  10. tube — a container
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. tear — from crying
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. tear — from crying
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bass — low music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. chip — to eat
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. club — for golf

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