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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — a container
  9. track — a song
  10. can — a tin
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. can — to be able to
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a path
  21. kid — child
  22. track — to keep track
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. ruler — a monarch

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