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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 120 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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tube — a container
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stock — shares
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stock — goods
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. deal — an agreement

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