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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. drill — a practice
  3. can — a tin
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. tube — a container
  10. pop — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stem — to come from
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. drill — army training
  15. tube — the underground
  16. can — a tin
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pop — soda

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