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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. bank — for money
  3. pound — a weight
  4. object — a thing
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. hand — help
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. hand — in cards
  11. deal — to handle
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. object — to protest
  14. bank — of a river
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. tube — the underground
  20. object — an aim
  21. ball — a great time
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  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