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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. net — after costs
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. net — for catching
  11. lean — thin
  12. staff — employees
  13. net — in sport
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. lean — to bend
  18. staff — employees

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