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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 116 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — a lid
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cap — of ice
  8. tube — the underground
  9. scale — size or range
  10. club — a group
  11. scale — in music
  12. club — for dancing
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. tube — a container
  17. bore — to drill
  18. club — for golf
  19. bore — to tire
  20. last — to go on
  21. cap — a hat
  22. last — final
  23. last — finally
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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