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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mate — a friend
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. scale — size or range
  14. tube — a container
  15. bank — for money
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. scale — in music
  18. lean — thin
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. ruler — for measuring

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