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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. key — the most important part
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. last — to go on
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stem — to come from
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. tube — a container
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. tube — the underground
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pitch — completely
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rock — music
  22. last — finally
  23. last — final
  24. key — in 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