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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: object · bank · coach · bowl · fine · mine · wound · tube

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. mine — for digging
  3. object — to protest
  4. bank — for money
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bank — of a river
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. tube — a container
  15. fine — all right
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wound — an injury
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. tube — the underground
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  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