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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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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. march — the month
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. march — music
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bear — the animal
  22. march — the month
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. nail — for a hammer

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