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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. pop — to visit
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bank — for money
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pop — soda
  9. vault — a safe
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — the cause
  13. tube — the underground
  14. shower — rain
  15. scale — size or range
  16. tube — a container
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. scale — in music
  19. bank — of a river
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. deal — to handle
  22. root — of a word
  23. pop — music
  24. root — of a plant

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