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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. can — a tin
  3. craft — a skill
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. chest — of your body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. drill — army training
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. can — a tin
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. craft — boats
  16. tube — a container
  17. chest — a box
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chest — of your body
  20. drill — a practice
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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