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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: tube · rush · fine · drill · mug · bank · squash · racket

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. squash — the sport
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fine — high quality
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mug — a face
  14. squash — to crush
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mug — to rob
  19. tube — the underground
  20. drill — army training
  21. bank — for money
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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