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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bore — to drill
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. court — of law
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. court — for sport
  19. saw — the tool
  20. court — of a king
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fine — all right
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bear — the animal

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