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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pit — in a race
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stem — to come from
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. branch — a division
  12. current — electric
  13. scale — in music
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. current — happening now
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. current — of water
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. tube — a container

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