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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: date · branch · tube · present · nail · cue · lean · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. date — the fruit
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bear — the animal
  5. lean — to bend
  6. present — the time now
  7. lean — thin
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cue — a signal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cue — a hint
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. present — a gift
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tube — a container
  22. cue — for pool
  23. present — there
  24. branch — a division

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