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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 116 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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cue — for pool
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. fine — all right
  7. cue — a hint
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cap — of ice
  12. tube — a container
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fine — high quality
  16. file — a tool
  17. field — a subject
  18. file — a document
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cue — a signal
  24. branch — a division

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