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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. tube — a container
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fork — in a road
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. drill — a practice
  11. kick — in football
  12. scale — size or range
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. drill — army training
  24. sharp — exactly

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