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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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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. tube — a container
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. file — a line of people
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. squash — the sport
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. can — a tin
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. cue — a signal

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