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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.

Make a worksheet

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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mine — for digging
  7. key — for a lock
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. tube — a container
  10. wax — to grow
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. key — in music
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. racket — a loud noise

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