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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. firm — a company
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. tube — a container
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bank — of a river
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bank — for money
  10. scale — size or range
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. scale — in music
  16. vault — a safe
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bank — for money
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. firm — steady
  24. ball — a dance

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