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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 116 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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. band — a music group
  3. object — an aim
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. band — a ring
  6. last — finally
  7. suit — clothes
  8. object — a thing
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. object — to protest
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. suit — to fit
  17. perch — the fish
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. last — to go on
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. tube — the underground
  23. last — final
  24. suit — in cards

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