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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.

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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. bank — for money
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. kick — in football
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bank — for money
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pound — a weight
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. kid — child
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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