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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. can — a tin
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. can — a tin
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. bear — the animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. tube — the underground
  17. can — to be able to
  18. board — to get on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. last — finally
  21. wound — an injury
  22. board — a committee
  23. wound — an injury
  24. tube — in a tire

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