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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mate — a friend
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitch — completely
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pop — soda
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. tube — a container
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stem — to come from
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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