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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 120 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: foot · rock · tube · land · can · suit · bark · mouse

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. land — to come down
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. can — to be able to
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. land — ground
  10. tube — a container
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rock — a stone
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — a country
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — music
  23. foot — a measure
  24. tube — in a tire

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