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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: tube · content · pound · plane · land · mouse · leaves · firm

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. firm — a company
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. content — happy
  12. land — a country
  13. content — the amount
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. land — to come down
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. firm — decided
  19. land — ground
  20. firm — steady
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. plane — a tool

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