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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: tube · shower · jam · deal · toast · pit · can · mate

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. can — a tin
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. tube — a container
  7. pit — a hole
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pit — in a race
  11. shower — rain
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. toast — bread
  14. mate — to breed
  15. deal — to handle
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mate — a partner
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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