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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · tube · leaves · mark · spring · bore · chair · bowl

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mark — a trace
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. tube — a container
  9. chair — a leader
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. tube — the underground
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. spring — the season
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. spring — of water
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mark — a grade
  21. toast — bread
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chair — a professorship

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