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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. mouse — for a computer
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bank — for money
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — in sport
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. race — humankind
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. squash — the sport
  13. race — a contest
  14. squash — to crush
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. season — of the year
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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