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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: march · craft · bear · tube · toast · firm · wake · trunk

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. march — the month
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. firm — steady
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. tube — a container
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. march — music
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. march — the month
  13. tube — the underground
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. firm — a company
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bear — the animal
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. craft — boats
  24. firm — decided

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