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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.

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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: bear · snap · root · fan · tube · mouse · can · bowl

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bear — the animal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. tube — a container
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bear — the animal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. root — of a word
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. snap — to click
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. root — the cause
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. can — a tin
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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