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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pop — soda
  5. rest — a break
  6. pop — music
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. branch — a division
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pop — to visit
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. suit — to fit
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. suit — in cards

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