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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. prune — to trim
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. staff — employees
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bank — for money
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. staff — employees
  18. tube — the underground
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wound — an injury
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rest — a break
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bowl — a dish

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