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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. file — a line of people
  5. tube — the underground
  6. file — a tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. charge — in control
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. file — a document
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. saw — the tool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. charge — a price

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