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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bank — for money
  3. board — a committee
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. roll — a list
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bore — to drill
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — the underground
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. tube — a container
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — to get on
  23. roll — a cake
  24. sharp — clever

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