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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pass — a permit
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rest — a break
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — music
  15. tube — a container
  16. swing — to play on
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. craft — boats
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bank — for money

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