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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 · racket · track · fall · cell · tube · firm · bowl

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. track — a path
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. firm — decided
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cell — a phone
  9. track — to keep track
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. tube — a container
  12. firm — steady
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. firm — a company
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. fall — the season
  17. cell — in biology
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a song
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bowl — to roll

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