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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. track — to keep track
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bound — certain
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cold — an illness
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bound — obliged
  12. tube — a container
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mug — a face
  19. bank — for money
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cold — not warm
  24. mug — to rob

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