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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
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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: tube · march · track · field · bear · sharp · can · mug

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mug — to rob
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bear — the animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. field — farmland
  8. tube — a container
  9. field — for sport
  10. march — the month
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. march — the month
  13. mug — a face
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. field — a subject
  16. can — a tin
  17. march — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. track — a song
  21. tube — the underground
  22. sharp — clever
  23. track — a path
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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