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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: leaves · cue · chip · spell · rush · tube · fall · sharp

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fall — the season
  5. spell — a short time
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. cue — for pool
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. chip — for betting
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. sharp — clever
  23. tube — a container
  24. cue — a hint

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