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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. race — the arms race
  3. fall — the season
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. track — a song
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. track — a path
  9. race — a contest
  10. content — the amount
  11. lean — thin
  12. content — happy
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fall — to drop
  18. race — humankind
  19. pound — a weight
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. track — to keep track
  24. tube — a container

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