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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: bear · mate · season · stick · bore · fan · tube · rush

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. tube — the underground
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. season — of the year
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mate — a partner
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. season — in sport
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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