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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — the sport
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bank — for money
  10. squash — to crush
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — rain
  14. bank — of a river
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. tube — the underground
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rock — a stone
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. jam — a tight spot

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