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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — a skill
  9. tube — a container
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — happy
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — boats
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. track — to keep track
  21. tube — the underground
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. track — a path
  24. nail — on a finger

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