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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bore — to drill
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. last — to go on
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. last — finally
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bore — to tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rash — a series
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. board — a committee
  16. tube — the underground
  17. content — happy
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. board — to get on
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stem — to come from
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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