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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bass — low music
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. tube — a container
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. row — a line
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tube — the underground
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cue — a signal
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bark — to shout
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cue — a hint

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