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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: mouse · can · bear · drill · leaves · present · wake · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. present — there
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. can — to be able to
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. tube — the underground
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. drill — army training
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. bear — the animal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. present — a gift
  18. drill — a practice
  19. present — the time now
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. wake — a trail
  24. can — a tin

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