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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: tube · bore · stem · bowl · jam · wave · roll · lie

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bore — to drill
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lie — to recline
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. tube — a container
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stem — to come from
  23. roll — a list
  24. tube — the underground

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