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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mate — a partner
  5. tube — a container
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pop — music
  9. bound — certain
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pass — a permit
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mate — a friend
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pop — soda
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pass — to spend time

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