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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: pound · safe · press · bank · roll · tube · nail · racket

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bank — for money
  5. pound — a weight
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — for money
  8. press — to push
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bank — of a river
  18. press — a publisher
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. roll — a list
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. press — newspapers
  23. roll — a cake
  24. safe — a strongbox

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