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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 116 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: content · pitcher · bear · cue · firm · bank · tube · race

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bank — for money
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. firm — decided
  9. tube — a container
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. race — a contest
  13. cue — a hint
  14. bank — of a river
  15. firm — steady
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. content — happy
  20. bear — the animal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. content — the amount
  24. firm — a company

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