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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: stand · degree · cell · fine · racket · bank · row · tube

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cell — in biology
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — to paddle
  6. degree — an amount
  7. tube — the underground
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stand — to bear
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. tube — a container
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — a phone
  21. fine — all right
  22. row — a line
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bank — of a river

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