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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. cue — a signal
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. can — to be able to
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stock — goods
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fall — the season
  12. tube — a container
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. can — a tin
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stock — shares
  19. fall — to drop
  20. suit — in cards
  21. can — a tin
  22. tube — the underground
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cue — for pool

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