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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. present — there
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. present — a gift
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. tube — a container
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — a tin
  18. present — the time now
  19. foot — a measure
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. can — to be able to
  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