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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bank — for money
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ground — a position
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ground — the earth
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. lean — to bend
  14. chip — to eat
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lean — thin
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chip — for betting
  21. foot — a measure
  22. tube — a container
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bank — for money

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