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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. land — a country
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bank — for money
  7. toast — bread
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bank — of a river
  10. face — to confront
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bore — to tire
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. tube — a container
  17. land — ground
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bank — for money
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. face — part of the head
  23. land — to come down
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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