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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: nail · suit · mate · rush · tube · fine · object · court

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. object — to protest
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rush — hurry
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mate — a partner
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mate — a friend
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. object — a thing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — high quality
  16. suit — clothes
  17. tube — a container
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — of law
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. object — an aim
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fine — all right
  24. mate — to breed

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