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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lean — thin
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. lean — to bend
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. charge — in control
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — what's left
  13. fine — all right
  14. tube — a container
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bank — for money
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rest — a break
  24. mine — belonging to me

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