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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bore — to tire
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. lean — to bend
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — thin
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. can — a tin

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