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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bear — the animal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. track — to keep track
  7. lie — to recline
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chip — to eat
  12. track — a path
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. perch — the fish
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fork — in a road
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. track — a song
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. tube — a container

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