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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. game — a match
  9. bear — the animal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. game — wild animals
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — a container
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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