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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: nail · bank · game · rest · lie · toast · tube · bowl

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. toast — bread
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — a break
  11. bank — for money
  12. tube — the underground
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. tube — a container
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bank — for money

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