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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.

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: tube · straw · pitcher · bear · stock · mouse · pass · board

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. board — to get on
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pass — a permit
  7. board — a committee
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bear — the animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stock — goods
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. tube — the underground
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. stock — shares

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