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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cue — a signal
  4. degree — from a university
  5. tube — the underground
  6. degree — temperature
  7. spring — the season
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. root — the cause
  12. spring — of water
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — a container
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. degree — an amount
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. root — of a word
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — for pool
  24. root — of a plant

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