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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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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: hide · mouse · firm · tube · spell · ground · cue · rest

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ground — the earth
  5. spell — letters
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rest — what's left
  8. firm — steady
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. firm — a company
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. cue — a signal
  15. spell — magic
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. tube — the underground
  18. firm — decided
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rest — a break
  24. mouse — the animal

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