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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bank — of a river
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. content — the amount
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. tube — a container
  21. bank — for money
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stand — to bear
  24. content — happy

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