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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rock — a stone
  5. race — a contest
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. race — humankind
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pit — a hole
  15. tube — a container
  16. branch — a division
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — tied together
  20. rock — music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bound — certain
  24. tube — in a tire

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