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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: drill · can · pit · tube · toast · mate · march · stem

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — the tool
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pit — in a race
  6. can — a tin
  7. mate — to breed
  8. march — the month
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. drill — army training
  11. mate — a friend
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. tube — a container
  14. mate — a partner
  15. tube — the underground
  16. pit — a hole
  17. march — music
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. toast — bread
  24. march — the month

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