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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bore — to tire
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. tube — a container
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. present — there
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bass — low music
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. present — the time now
  24. bass — the instrument

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