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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. tube — a container
  7. bank — of a river
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lie — to recline
  10. date — the fruit
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. hand — help
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. fine — all right
  23. bank — for money
  24. fine — high quality

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