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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 120 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: rest · suit · dip · stick · bore · squash · tube · bay

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. tube — the underground
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — to fit
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rest — a break
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. tube — a container

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