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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. key — in music
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fine — all right
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rock — music
  14. tube — a container
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fine — high quality
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. tube — the underground

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