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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cue — for pool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. scale — in music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tube — the underground
  15. scale — size or range
  16. board — a committee
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tube — a container
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. charge — electricity
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cue — a signal

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