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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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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: tube · file · dip · key · ball · fan · suit · hand

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. hand — help
  3. dip — to sink
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. file — a line of people
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. tube — the underground
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. file — a document
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. file — a tool
  14. tube — a container
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. hand — in cards
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. suit — clothes
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ball — a dance
  22. suit — to fit
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ball — a great time

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