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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ball — a dance
  8. tube — a container
  9. face — part of the head
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ball — a great time
  13. face — to confront
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. club — for dancing
  16. tube — the underground
  17. net — for catching
  18. club — a group
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. branch — a division
  21. net — after costs
  22. club — for golf
  23. face — to point toward
  24. rush — hurry

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