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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. tube — a container
  3. last — finally
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. last — to go on
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. fork — in a road
  11. last — final
  12. ground — a position
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rule — government
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rule — a law
  24. arm — part of the body

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