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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 116 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: sharp · dip · bear · chip · stem · tube · rest · rule

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rule — a law
  5. tube — the underground
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rest — what's left
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rule — government
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bear — the animal
  15. tube — a container
  16. dip — to sink
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bear — 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