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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: stick · tube · firm · wave · jam · roll · racket · season

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. roll — a cake
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. tube — a container
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. firm — steady
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. season — in sport
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. season — of the year
  24. roll — a list

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