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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tube — the underground
  4. key — in music
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rash — hasty
  7. root — the cause
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cue — a hint
  11. root — of a word
  12. file — a document
  13. root — of a plant
  14. file — a line of people
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rest — a break
  17. ground — a position
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rash — a series
  22. file — a tool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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