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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 120 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: cap · fan · safe · ground · bank · sharp · bay · tube

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — a position
  4. cap — a lid
  5. bank — for money
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ground — the earth
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. tube — a container
  17. bank — of a river
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. sharp — clever

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