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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. kid — child
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. bore — to drill
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bank — of a river
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bank — for money
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wax — in the ear

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