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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: dip · last · pass · track · bank · saw · tube · cell

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bank — for money
  3. cell — in biology
  4. track — a path
  5. tube — the underground
  6. last — to go on
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — a container
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bank — of a river
  16. track — a song
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cell — a phone
  19. last — final
  20. last — finally
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. saw — the tool
  23. track — to keep track
  24. dip — to sink

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