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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. last — finally
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cell — a phone
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bank — of a river
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bank — for money
  20. track — a song
  21. last — to go on
  22. track — a path
  23. charge — a price
  24. last — final

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