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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: cell · fan · bear · fork · squash · mug · tube · stock

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stock — goods
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. stock — shares
  6. fork — in a road
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in biology
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. mug — to rob

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