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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · tube · squash · bass · temple · bank · wind · fan

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wind — moving air
  6. tube — the underground
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — for money
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bank — for money
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bass — low music
  22. tube — a container
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fan — a supporter

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