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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. last — final
  4. rash — a series
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bank — for money
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — finally
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. last — to go on
  15. rash — hasty
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — a container
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bound — certain
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. scale — in music
  24. tube — the underground

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