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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.

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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: jam · tube · field · chip · bore · last · wound · hide

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. tube — the underground
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. field — for sport
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. last — to go on
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wound — an injury
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. last — final
  13. field — farmland
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tube — a container
  18. last — finally
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bore — to tire
  22. field — a subject
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wound — an injury

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