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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — of a word
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. can — to be able to
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. root — the cause
  11. wound — an injury
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. club — for golf
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. can — a tin
  23. mine — for digging
  24. prune — the fruit

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