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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — a container
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a committee
  6. tube — the underground
  7. court — for sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. court — of a king
  10. cap — of ice
  11. root — the cause
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mark — a trace
  14. court — of law
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mark — a grade
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. root — of a word
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bank — for money

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