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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — the underground
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. drill — a practice
  6. firm — steady
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. capital — a city
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cue — for pool
  13. scale — in music
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — a company
  18. drill — army training
  19. scale — size or range
  20. drill — the tool
  21. capital — money
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bear — to put up with

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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