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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: tube · rock · wave · bore · snap · saw · ruler · rash

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rock — music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bore — to drill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. rash — hasty
  18. tube — a container
  19. bore — to tire
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. saw — the tool
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. saw — the tool
  24. snap — to click

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