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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — of water
  4. wake — a trail
  5. land — ground
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cue — a hint
  11. land — to come down
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. tube — the underground
  14. land — a country
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. cue — for pool
  17. current — happening now
  18. cue — a signal
  19. current — electric
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wave — with your hand

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