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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: rush · straw · bore · lie · tube · racket · stem · deal

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. stem — to come from
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. tube — a container
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bore — to tire
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. lie — an untruth

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