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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. stand — to bear
  3. tube — a container
  4. march — the month
  5. tube — the underground
  6. staff — employees
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bank — of a river
  14. race — a contest
  15. march — the month
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. race — humankind
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. march — music
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — on your feet

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