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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — the underground
  6. drill — army training
  7. tube — a container
  8. drill — the tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bank — for money
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — a practice
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bank — of a river
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. plane — in geometry
  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