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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bank — for money
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bank — for money
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. sharp — clever
  10. foot — a measure
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. tube — the underground
  18. board — to get on

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