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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: cabinet · current · can · tube · march · bear · present · suit

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. current — electric
  5. tube — the underground
  6. present — the time now
  7. can — to be able to
  8. suit — to fit
  9. present — a gift
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. march — the month
  12. present — there
  13. march — music
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. current — happening now
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. can — a tin
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. current — of water
  22. march — the month
  23. tube — a container
  24. bear — the animal

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