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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: bore · tube · ruler · bass · jam · mine · charge · patient

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bore — to tire
  6. charge — in control
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bass — low music
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. charge — electricity
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bore — to drill
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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