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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · trunk · land · track · toast · bear · tube · tear

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. can — to be able to
  3. tube — a container
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. can — a tin
  8. land — a country
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. track — a path
  11. bear — the animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. can — a tin
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. tear — from crying
  17. land — to come down
  18. track — a song
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. land — ground
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. track — to keep track
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bear — to put up with

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