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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bank — for money
  4. club — a group
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bank — for money
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bank — of a river
  9. can — a tin
  10. tube — the underground
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. club — for dancing
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. can — to be able to
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. club — for golf
  23. can — a tin
  24. date — on the calendar

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