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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. tube — a container
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — the underground
  12. object — to protest
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — in a road
  15. object — a thing
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bank — of a river
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pit — a hole
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. object — an aim

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