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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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 — in a tire
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lean — thin
  4. tube — a container
  5. key — for a lock
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. key — in music
  10. stem — to come from
  11. branch — a division
  12. object — a thing
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — to protest
  19. tube — the underground
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lean — to bend
  22. object — an aim
  23. branch — of a bank
  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