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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · tube · chip · bass · deal · temple

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. tube — a container
  4. deal — to handle
  5. tube — the underground
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chip — for betting
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bass — low music
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bay — a horse colour

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