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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. game — a match
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stem — to come from
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rule — a law
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mine — for digging
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rush — hurry

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