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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. tube — a container
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. mug — a cup
  6. can — to be able to
  7. club — for golf
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mug — a face
  10. club — a group
  11. can — a tin
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. track — to keep track
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. net — after costs
  19. club — for dancing
  20. tube — the underground
  21. net — in sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. mug — to rob
  24. net — for catching

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