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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — a container
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bank — for money
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fall — to drop
  11. board — a committee
  12. bank — for money
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wind — moving air
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rash — a series
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cue — a hint
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. board — to get on
  24. fall — the season

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