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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. cue — for pool
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tube — a container
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. cue — a hint
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rule — government
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tube — the underground
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. fork — in a road
  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