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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bank — of a river
  4. squash — the sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — the underground
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. fine — high quality
  10. can — to be able to
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tube — a container
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. stock — shares
  15. bank — for money
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stock — goods
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bank — for money
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. can — a tin
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. fine — all right

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