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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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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: tube · bore · staff · temple · board · rash · foot · prune

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. prune — to trim
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rash — a series
  10. foot — a measure
  11. tube — the underground
  12. board — a committee
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bore — to tire
  15. staff — employees
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. tube — a container
  18. rash — hasty
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. staff — employees
  24. prune — the fruit

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