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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: snap · craft · fan · can · tube · bear · stick · march

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. march — the month
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. march — the month
  14. craft — a skill
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. can — a tin
  17. snap — to click
  18. march — music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — boats
  24. tube — a container

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