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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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 drill
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. field — farmland
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. tube — a container
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. season — of the year
  13. bank — for money
  14. field — for sport
  15. season — in sport
  16. bore — to tire
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. field — a subject
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. sharp — exactly

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