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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: content · last · track · safe · tube · bore · patient · swing

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. content — the amount
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. swing — music
  5. tube — a container
  6. bore — to drill
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — a path
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. last — to go on
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. content — happy
  16. bore — to tire
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. track — to keep track
  20. last — final
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. last — finally
  24. track — a song

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