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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 120 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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. hand — help
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bore — to tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — a committee
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pop — to visit
  14. staff — employees
  15. pop — soda
  16. board — to get on
  17. staff — employees
  18. pop — music
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. tube — a container
  23. face — part of the head
  24. staff — a stick

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