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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.

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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. tube — a container
  3. spell — letters
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cell — a phone
  10. spell — a short time
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rest — what's left
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — magic
  19. charge — a price
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — in control
  23. tube — the underground
  24. safe — a strongbox

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