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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. prune — to trim
  4. content — the amount
  5. mug — a cup
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. mug — to rob
  11. content — happy
  12. tube — the underground
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bore — to tire
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bore — to drill
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. row — a line
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. tube — a container
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mug — a face

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