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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: nail · present · tube · bank · wound · date · leaves · cue

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bank — for money
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. date — the fruit
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cue — for pool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. present — the time now
  16. wound — an injury
  17. present — a gift
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wound — an injury
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. present — there
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — of a tree

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