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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stand · spring · stick · key · row · fan · tube · last

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. row — to paddle
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. spring — of water
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. last — final
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. spring — a coil
  15. key — for a lock
  16. row — a line
  17. tube — a container
  18. spring — the season
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. tube — the underground
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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