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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
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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: snap · tube · plane · ball · straw · foot · bay · bore

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. ball — a great time
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bore — to drill
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. tube — a container
  9. ball — a dance
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. plane — a tool
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. tube — the underground
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. snap — to click
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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