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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. present — a gift
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. present — there
  11. bear — the animal
  12. band — a ring
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mug — a face
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. band — a music group
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. present — the time now
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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