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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rest — a break
  4. bound — certain
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pit — a hole
  8. tube — a container
  9. rest — what's left
  10. can — a tin
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mark — a grade
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. can — a tin
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. fall — to drop
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bore — to drill
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fall — the season
  24. bound — obliged

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