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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: squash · object · pop · game · fine · chair · bank · tube

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. squash — to crush
  3. tube — a container
  4. object — an aim
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — music
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. game — wild animals
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fine — all right
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — to visit
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — a match
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pop — soda
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. fine — high quality
  24. object — a thing

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