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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bank — of a river
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bank — for money
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. deal — to handle
  12. tube — a container
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. hide — to keep secret

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