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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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. season — in sport
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rest — a break
  5. season — of the year
  6. tube — the underground
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. branch — a division
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. tube — a container
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rest — what's left
  18. swing — in golf
  19. firm — decided
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rest — what's left
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. patient — a sick person

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