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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. tube — the underground
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bound — certain
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rule — government
  9. bore — to drill
  10. kid — child
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rule — a law
  13. bound — obliged
  14. content — happy
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. tube — a container
  18. bound — tied together
  19. content — the amount
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. kid — to tease

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