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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spell — letters
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. staff — employees
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spell — magic
  11. suit — clothes
  12. staff — employees
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. tube — a container
  20. staff — a stick
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. spell — a short time

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