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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. cue — for pool
  3. press — newspapers
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cue — a hint
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bore — to tire
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stem — to come from
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. snap — to click
  14. bound — certain
  15. tube — a container
  16. prune — to trim
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. press — to push
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stem — a stem cell

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