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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. tube — a container
  5. dip — to sink
  6. clip — to cut
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. cue — for pool
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bark — to shout
  20. clip — for paper
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. clip — a video

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