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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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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: bay · plane · tube · bound · rush · pit · season · mug

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tube — a container
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pit — a hole
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bound — certain
  13. season — in sport
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bound — obliged
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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