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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 120 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: wave · mug · chest · stand · nail · content · pit · tube

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mug — a cup
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mug — a face
  5. tube — the underground
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — a box
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stand — to bear
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mug — to rob
  16. content — the amount
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. content — happy
  19. pit — in a race
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — a container
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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