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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
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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: bank · tear · mug · tube · bowl · kid · can · sharp

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — a container
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mug — a face
  10. kid — to tease
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bank — for money
  16. mug — to rob
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. tear — from crying
  23. kid — child
  24. tube — the underground

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