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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — all right
  4. spell — letters
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. craft — a skill
  7. tube — a container
  8. bank — of a river
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. sharp — clever
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. spell — a short time
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. tube — the underground
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. spell — magic
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — high quality

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