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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 116 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: track · sharp · tube · chair · bat · bowl · root · lash

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. tube — a container
  5. track — a path
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bat — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. track — a song
  18. root — the cause
  19. track — to keep track
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. tube — the underground
  23. root — of a word
  24. sharp — with an edge

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