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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. chip — for betting
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bank — for money
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. row — a line
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. tube — the underground
  14. row — to paddle
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. squash — to crush
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. squash — the vegetable

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