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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
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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: rush · tube · lean · bear · mark · key · march · can

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — hurry
  3. tube — the underground
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. key — in music
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. can — a tin
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mark — a trace
  20. march — the month
  21. can — to be able to
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bear — the animal

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