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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 120 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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. club — a group
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. club — for golf
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. club — for dancing
  12. cell — a phone
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wind — moving air
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bank — of a river
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rock — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — a container
  24. wind — moving air

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