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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. firm — a company
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — steady
  12. charge — a price
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. rush — hurry
  16. firm — decided
  17. charge — in control
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mine — for digging
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rule — to rule out
  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