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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: present · capital · hide · branch · mug · bear · fan · tube

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mug — a face
  5. bear — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. branch — a division
  15. capital — money
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — a city
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mug — a cup
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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