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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: pit · bore · temple · tube · craft · plane · toast · ruler

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bore — to tire
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — a tool
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bore — to drill
  14. craft — a skill
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. tube — the underground
  21. craft — boats
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. tube — a container
  24. ruler — a monarch

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