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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bore — to drill
  6. tube — a container
  7. swing — to play on
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. tube — the underground
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — to tire
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a great time
  19. key — in music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ball — a dance
  23. prune — to trim
  24. swing — music

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