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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. tube — a container
  4. spell — letters
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bank — for money
  9. mark — a grade
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. spell — magic
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. spell — a short time
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. rush — hurry

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