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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: nail · fine · stem · bore · spell · pop · tube · foot

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stem — to come from
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. fine — all right
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. spell — a short time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spell — magic
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spell — letters
  21. pop — soda
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pop — music
  24. bore — gave birth

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