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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. firm — steady
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mug — a face
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — to get on
  9. band — a music group
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bank — for money
  12. spring — a coil
  13. mug — a cup
  14. firm — a company
  15. bank — for money
  16. spring — of water
  17. bank — of a river
  18. board — a committee
  19. pit — a hole
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. tube — a container
  22. band — a ring
  23. spring — the season
  24. mug — to rob

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