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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bank — for money
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rock — music
  10. track — a path
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pit — a hole
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — a container
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. track — a song
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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