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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 · pitch · safe · bank · clip · dip · key · rash

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rash — hasty
  3. key — in music
  4. bank — for money
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. dip — to sink
  7. clip — to cut
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bank — of a river
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. key — for a lock
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. clip — a video
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bank — for money
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. clip — for paper
  24. dip — a sauce

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