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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bank — of a river
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. tube — a container
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. track — to keep track
  10. roll — a list
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bank — for money
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. suit — clothes
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — music
  20. date — the fruit
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — the underground
  24. date — on the calendar

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