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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: tube · kick · can · mark · wind · temple · bear · craft

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. kick — in football
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. can — a tin
  11. tube — the underground
  12. craft — a skill
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. tube — a container
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — boats
  20. wind — moving air
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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