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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. foot — a measure
  3. degree — temperature
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. craft — boats
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. degree — from a university
  13. craft — a skill
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. degree — an amount
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rush — hurry
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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