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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 120 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: pop · cabinet · fork · leaves · lie · bear · bark · tube

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. tube — a container
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. tube — the underground
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fork — in a road
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — soda
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bark — to shout
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pop — music
  24. bear — to put up with

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