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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. tube — the underground
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mate — to breed
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mate — a friend
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. spell — letters
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. band — a ring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rock — music
  17. tube — a container
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spell — magic
  22. band — a music group
  23. mate — a partner
  24. band — a rubber band

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