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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ground — the earth
  6. craft — boats
  7. mark — a grade
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cue — a hint
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ground — a position
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. trunk — of a tree

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