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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: tube · wind · racket · suit · bound · game · row · branch

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bound — obliged
  3. suit — clothes
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. bound — tied together
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. tube — a container
  9. bound — certain
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. row — a line
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wind — moving air
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — to fit
  17. branch — a division
  18. row — to paddle
  19. game — wild animals
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. suit — in cards
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. wind — moving air

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