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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: last · tube · can · degree · bore · chip · bound · bass

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bore — to drill
  5. can — a tin
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. tube — a container
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bass — low music
  15. degree — an amount
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — certain
  19. tube — the underground
  20. last — final
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bound — tied together
  23. last — finally
  24. degree — temperature

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