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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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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cold — an illness
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cold — not warm
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stem — to come from
  10. drill — the tool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. club — a group
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — a practice
  18. tube — the underground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — for dancing
  21. drill — army training
  22. tube — a container
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mark — a grade

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