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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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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: bore · wake · root · fan · mark · press · chip · tube

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wake — a trail
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. press — to push
  22. root — of a word
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bore — gave birth

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