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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 116 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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stem — to come from
  4. can — to be able to
  5. row — a line
  6. ball — a great time
  7. tube — a container
  8. can — a tin
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bark — to shout
  23. can — a tin
  24. cabinet — ministers

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