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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. present — the time now
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. present — there
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. present — a gift
  14. rule — a law
  15. mark — a grade
  16. root — of a word
  17. current — electric
  18. rule — government
  19. root — the cause
  20. tube — a container
  21. mark — a trace
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. bark — to shout

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