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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: bank · mouse · wave · tube · calf · foot · wound · content

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. tube — a container
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. content — happy
  16. wound — an injury
  17. foot — a measure
  18. tube — the underground
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. bank — for money
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wound — an injury
  24. foot — the bottom

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