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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: bear · cue · craft · mate · tube · mine · club · game

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bear — the animal
  7. club — for golf
  8. club — a group
  9. craft — boats
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. tube — a container
  12. mate — to breed
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mate — a partner
  16. game — a match
  17. club — for dancing
  18. cue — for pool
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a signal

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