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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
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: fork · tube · file · mug · bat · fine · perch · mouse

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. file — a tool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mug — a cup
  9. file — a line of people
  10. fine — all right
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mug — a face
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bat — the animal
  17. file — a document
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. fine — a penalty

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