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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hide · pitcher · leaves · squash · wind · mug · pop · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mug — to rob
  5. squash — the sport
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wind — moving air
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a face
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. tube — in a tire

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