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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. race — the arms race
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. rule — a law
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. track — a path
  13. race — a contest
  14. bore — to tire
  15. race — humankind
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rule — government
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bear — the animal
  22. track — a song
  23. bore — to drill
  24. rule — to rule out

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