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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · leaves · cue · bulb · stem · fall · mug · deal

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. tube — a container
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stem — to come from
  10. fall — the season
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mug — a cup
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mug — a face
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. deal — to handle
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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