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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. tube — a container
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. net — in sport
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. net — after costs
  9. bank — of a river
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. roll — a list
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. tube — the underground
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. deal — to handle
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. net — for catching

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