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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — a container
  13. pitch — completely
  14. tube — the underground
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. branch — a division
  24. patient — a sick person

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