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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lean — to bend
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. dip — to sink
  8. ball — a dance
  9. tube — the underground
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ball — a great time

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