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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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. season — of the year
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. season — in sport
  7. current — happening now
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — a container
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rush — hurry
  12. tube — the underground
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cap — a lid
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cap — a hat

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