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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. wind — moving air
  4. tube — a container
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bank — for money
  7. wake — a trail
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bank — of a river
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bank — for money
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. rash — hasty
  17. content — happy
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rash — a series
  23. content — the amount
  24. pass — to succeed

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