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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: key · dip · rush · tube · last · mouse · bowl · mug

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. last — finally
  5. key — in music
  6. tube — a container
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. key — for a lock
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. last — to go on
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. key — the most important part
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. last — final
  16. tube — the underground
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rush — hurry
  24. dip — to sink

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