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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. mate — to breed
  3. current — happening now
  4. fork — in a road
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. kid — to tease
  7. mate — a partner
  8. stand — to bear
  9. kid — child
  10. tube — a container
  11. current — electric
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. tube — the underground
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mate — a friend
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cue — a hint
  24. current — of water

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