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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. can — a tin
  3. fall — the season
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rock — a stone
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fine — all right
  18. stem — to come from
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. fall — to drop
  23. can — a tin
  24. rock — music

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