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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 can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. tube — a container
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. cue — a hint
  7. race — humankind
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bulb — for light
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. tube — the underground
  14. race — a contest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. can — to be able to
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wake — a trail

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