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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 116 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: squash · bowl · tube · land · wake · mouse · bear · face

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. land — ground
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bear — the animal
  8. land — a country
  9. tube — a container
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. wake — a trail
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. squash — the sport
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. face — to confront
  24. land — to come down

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