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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — a container
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cue — a signal
  5. march — the month
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. scale — in music
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cue — a hint
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. saw — the tool
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cue — for pool
  17. march — music
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. march — the month
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. scale — size or range
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. suit — in cards

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