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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.

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: stick · tube · racket · suit · game · present · fan · pop

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pop — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. game — a match
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — a container
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. present — there
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — in cards
  19. tube — the underground
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. present — a gift
  24. racket — for tennis

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