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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 120 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: mouse · stick · deal · rule · dip · key · tube · bank

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bank — of a river
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bank — for money
  13. rule — government
  14. bank — for money
  15. key — for a lock
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — a container
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — in music
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rule — a law

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