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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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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: deal · clip · mouse · bay · cap · bark · tube · nail

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. clip — for paper
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cap — a hat
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. deal — to handle
  21. clip — a video
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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