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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — a phone
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. kid — to tease
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pop — music
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fine — all right
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pop — soda
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pop — to visit
  24. kid — child

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