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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 · mark · fall · coach · staff · mouse · tube · sharp

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. staff — a stick
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bank — for money
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. staff — employees
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. sharp — clever
  16. fall — to drop
  17. staff — employees
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. coach — a trainer

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