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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chest — a box
  5. swing — to play on
  6. chest — of your body
  7. swing — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — of a river
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. tube — a container
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bear — the animal
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. swing — in golf
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. key — in music

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