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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: rash · fan · cabinet · board · squash · mate · bore · tube

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mate — a partner
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rash — a series
  15. tube — a container
  16. mate — a friend
  17. board — to get on
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. tube — the underground
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mate — to breed
  23. board — a committee
  24. fan — a supporter

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