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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. row — to paddle
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cue — for pool
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. key — in music
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. key — for a lock
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. firm — a company
  16. branch — a division
  17. key — the most important part
  18. chip — to eat
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. firm — decided
  23. chip — for betting
  24. row — a line

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