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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.

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: row · toast · bowl · key · scale · date · tube · stand

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. scale — in music
  7. tube — the underground
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. key — in music
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. key — for a lock
  20. toast — bread
  21. tube — a container
  22. date — the fruit
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. stand — to bear

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