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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. tube — a container
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — shares
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fine — high quality
  12. row — a line
  13. foot — a measure
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cue — a hint
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cue — a signal
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fine — all right
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. tube — in a tire

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