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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. row — a line
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. row — to paddle
  6. file — a document
  7. firm — decided
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stock — shares
  10. tube — a container
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. firm — steady
  18. file — a tool
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. key — in music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mark — a trace
  24. firm — a company

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