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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. firm — decided
  4. last — final
  5. can — to be able to
  6. firm — steady
  7. pop — soda
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — a company
  11. tube — a container
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. can — a tin
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pop — to visit
  19. last — to go on
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pop — music
  22. last — finally
  23. tube — the underground
  24. wave — of the sea

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