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

Word bank: bank · tube · nail · dip · kick · chest · cell · key

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bank — of a river
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. key — in music
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bank — for money
  9. dip — to sink
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — a box
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. key — for a lock
  17. tube — a container
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — a phone
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. kick — in football
  23. key — the most important part
  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