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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
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: bear · arm · leaves · mouse · mate · ruler · tube · sharp

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bear — the animal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. tube — a container
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mate — a friend
  16. tube — the underground
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mate — to breed
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mouse — 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