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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: pitcher · root · suit · bear · perch · fall · nail · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. root — of a word
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fall — to drop
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tube — a container
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bear — the animal
  10. perch — the fish
  11. root — the cause
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fall — the season
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. root — of a plant
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fall — to drop

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