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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rock — a stone
  4. fine — all right
  5. rock — music
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. squash — to crush
  10. race — humankind
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pit — in a race
  14. race — a contest
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. tube — a container
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fine — high quality
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. squash — the sport
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fine — a penalty

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