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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — for money
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fall — the season
  10. chest — of your body
  11. tube — the underground
  12. chest — a box
  13. stem — to come from
  14. tube — a container
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fall — to drop
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pass — a permit
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. ball — a great time

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