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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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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: lie · fork · temple · cue · tube · pop · pass · stem

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pop — to visit
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fork — in a road
  8. lie — to recline
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stem — to come from
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pop — soda
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. tube — a container
  24. pass — to succeed

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