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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 116 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: present · craft · stand · mouse · mine · net · deal · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. net — in sport
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. net — for catching
  9. present — there
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. net — after costs
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. deal — to handle
  17. tube — a container
  18. craft — a skill
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. present — the time now
  22. craft — boats
  23. stand — to bear
  24. present — a gift

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