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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. suit — to fit
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. tube — the underground
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bear — the animal
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — a division
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bowl — a dish

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