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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cue — a signal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pop — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tube — a container
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pop — soda
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — the underground
  23. cue — for pool
  24. safe — a strongbox

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