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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mark — a trace
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. band — a ring
  10. deal — to handle
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. tube — the underground
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mate — a friend
  16. band — a music group
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. prune — the fruit

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