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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: mug · tube · plane · rush · bear · scale · net · roll

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. tube — a container
  3. mug — a cup
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. roll — a cake
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. scale — in music
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — in sport
  11. plane — a tool
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. tube — the underground
  17. roll — a list
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. scale — size or range
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. net — after costs
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mug — a face
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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