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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: hand · tube · race · foot · bank · suit · face · bore

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. face — to point toward
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. tube — a container
  5. race — humankind
  6. bank — for money
  7. foot — a measure
  8. face — to confront
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tube — the underground
  14. face — part of the head
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bore — to tire
  18. race — the arms race
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. race — a contest
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bore — to drill
  24. hand — in cards

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