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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pass — a permit
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — a practice
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bank — for money
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. drill — army training
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stock — shares
  16. tube — the underground
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. tube — a container
  19. stock — goods
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. drill — the tool

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