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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bank — for money
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. tube — a container
  19. bank — for money
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stand — on your feet

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