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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: object · bark · nail · bank · fine · tube · dip · cue

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. object — an aim
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bank — for money
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fine — high quality
  7. object — a thing
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fine — all right
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. tube — a container
  16. bank — of a river
  17. cue — for pool
  18. dip — to sink
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bark — to shout
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tube — in a tire

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