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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. object — a thing
  3. tube — a container
  4. object — to protest
  5. bear — the animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. current — of water
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bank — of a river
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. drill — the tool
  14. object — an aim
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. tube — the underground
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. date — the fruit
  23. drill — army training
  24. bear — the animal

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