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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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Word bank
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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. face — to point toward
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. can — a tin
  6. cue — a hint
  7. stock — goods
  8. tube — the underground
  9. face — part of the head
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — shares
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — the most important part
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — to confront
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. key — in music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. lie — to recline

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