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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 be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. root — of a word
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — of a plant
  6. tube — a container
  7. board — to get on
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. key — in music
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. cue — a hint
  17. root — the cause
  18. rest — what's left
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rest — a break
  21. cue — for pool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. board — a committee
  24. key — for a lock

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