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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — for digging
  3. staff — employees
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. rest — what's left
  8. can — a tin
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. can — a tin
  12. rest — a break
  13. bank — for money
  14. can — to be able to
  15. chair — a leader
  16. staff — employees
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. tube — a container
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bank — for money
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bound — tied together
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bank — of a river

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