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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tube — the underground
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — shares
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pit — in a race
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. tube — a container
  24. stock — goods

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