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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stock — shares
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. tube — the underground
  10. rule — a law
  11. staff — employees
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. staff — employees
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stem — to come from
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stock — goods
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. tube — a container

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