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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. shower — rain
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. cue — a signal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stem — to come from
  8. race — humankind
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. race — the arms race
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. shower — to wash
  13. cue — for pool
  14. tube — a container
  15. race — a contest
  16. cue — a hint
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. key — in music
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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