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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stock — goods
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stock — shares
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. can — to be able to
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. key — in music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. tube — the underground

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