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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. charge — in control
  5. rock — a stone
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stem — to come from
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. wound — an injury
  12. file — a tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wound — an injury
  16. tube — a container
  17. charge — a price
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. charge — electricity
  21. file — a line of people
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. file — a document
  24. stem — of a plant

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