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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 116 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. tube — a container
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fine — high quality
  5. spring — of water
  6. object — a thing
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. object — an aim
  9. spring — the season
  10. fine — all right
  11. deal — to handle
  12. root — the cause
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. root — of a plant
  17. tube — the underground
  18. root — of a word
  19. bank — for money
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. spring — a coil
  22. object — to protest
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fine — a penalty

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