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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: tube · bore · fine · row · bass · fan · safe · spring

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. spring — of water
  6. bore — to tire
  7. row — to paddle
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — the season
  19. bass — low music
  20. tube — a container
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bass — the fish
  23. row — a line
  24. bore — to drill

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