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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — a committee
  10. bank — for money
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. current — of water
  13. tube — a container
  14. root — of a plant
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. root — the cause
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. saw — the tool
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bank — for money
  21. current — happening now
  22. board — to get on
  23. current — electric
  24. root — of a word

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