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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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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. net — in sport
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bear — the animal
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. net — for catching
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rock — music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bear — the animal
  17. last — finally
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — to go on
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. net — after costs
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. last — final

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