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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 116 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: cap · prune · hide · chip · racket · tube · bank · bore

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. cap — a hat
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cap — a lid
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bore — to drill
  13. cap — of ice
  14. prune — to trim
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — for money
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bore — to tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bank — for money

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