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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bank — for money
  7. tube — the underground
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. last — finally
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — final
  24. ruler — a monarch

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