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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. last — to go on
  4. tube — the underground
  5. charge — electricity
  6. tube — a container
  7. charge — a price
  8. cue — a signal
  9. last — finally
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — a position
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. last — final
  15. charge — in control
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. ground — crushed
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lash — to lash out

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