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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — to fit
  4. tube — a container
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — clothes
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. can — to be able to
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. drill — the tool
  14. degree — an amount
  15. can — a tin
  16. bark — to shout
  17. drill — army training
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. game — a match
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. game — wild animals
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. suit — in cards

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