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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: bark · deal · can · stick · game · bowl · stand · tube

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. can — a tin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. game — a match
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. tube — a container
  19. stand — to bear
  20. bark — to shout
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tube — the underground
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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