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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: saw · bank · file · jam · land · tube · roll · bay

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. land — a country
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. file — a tool
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. land — to come down
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. saw — the tool
  13. tube — the underground
  14. file — a document
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bank — for money
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bank — for money
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. file — a line of people
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. land — ground
  23. roll — a list
  24. tube — a container

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