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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bank — for money
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. stand — to bear
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. roll — a list
  21. tube — a container
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. roll — a cake
  24. ruler — for measuring

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